Abbott Halts Texas Funding for 3,000 Flock Cameras as Cities Cancel Contracts

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 29

Texas agencies were told Thursday to stop using state money for Flock license-plate cameras, widening a backlash that has already pushed local governments to reconsider the AI surveillance system.
Privacy and data-sharing concerns drove the move, even though supporters say the cameras help solve crimes, recover stolen vehicles and find missing people.
Pflugerville voted this week to end its Flock contract and disable 28 readers, while Hood County ordered its three cameras disconnected and covered pending removal.
More than 3,000 Flock cameras have been installed in Texas since 2023 with help from the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, using grants tied to a $1 vehicle-insurance fee.
The Texas fight mirrors broader scrutiny of Flock’s network, which Sen. Josh Hawley says spans 120,000 cameras in 49 states and processes more than 20 billion vehicle scans a month.