Texas pauses permitting of Flock automated license-plate readers on state roads

# What happened At Gov. Greg Abbott's direction, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has stopped issuing permits for Flock cameras and other automated license plate readers (ALPRs) to be installed along state-owned roads. TxDOT confirmed the pause and said it applies to agreements already approved but not yet installed.

# What TxDOT says it does and doesn't do TxDOT's stated role is to review permits to ensure ALPRs are installed safely and correctly along state roadways. The agency clarified two operational points:

• TxDOT approves permits but does not install the devices.
• TxDOT does not have access to data collected by Flock cameras installed along state rights-of-way.

Cameras already installed on state rights-of-way are not affected by the permit suspension. That includes more than 900 cameras operated by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).

# How and when the pause began

# Context behind the decision The permit pause followed an earlier directive by Abbott in late August that blocked state funding for Flock cameras. That funding freeze came as reporting revealed a small state agency directed at least $30 million to support more than 3,200 Flock cameras across Texas.

# Scale and immediate effects Estimates put the number of Flock cameras in Texas at about 13,000 in August. Since Abbott's funding cut, hundreds of devices have been shut down. Several city councils and county commissions across Texas have unplugged their cameras in response to resident concerns and reports of misuse.

# Why this matters: privacy, misuse, and law enforcement claims The cameras scan passing vehicles and compile license plate numbers and related identifying data into searchable databases. That capacity has raised privacy concerns among residents and civil liberties advocates.

Reporting and local complaints have also documented cases in which law enforcement officers were arrested or investigated for using camera data to stalk people. Police agencies defend Flock cameras as effective tools for solving crimes such as vehicle theft and for locating missing people.

# What to watch next

• Whether TxDOT's pause becomes a longer-term policy change or a temporary review.
• Any state-level rulemaking or legislation that would restrict or regulate placement, data access, retention, or sharing for ALPR systems.
• Local government decisions to reconnect, continue to disable, or pursue alternatives to Flock systems.

# Quick summary The state has halted new permit approvals for Flock and similar ALPR devices on state roads after a sequence of funding freezes and reporting about the spread and use of these cameras. The pause leaves already-installed cameras in operation but halts additional deployments while the state reviews permitting and funding practices.