GoKawiilTexas redirected $30M in insurance-fee revenue to fund Flock surveillance cameras statewide
A $1 auto insurance fee approved by Texas lawmakers in 2023 to fight catalytic converter theft has instead financed a massive expansion of Flock license-plate cameras across the state. The Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, chaired by Laredo Police Chief Miguel Rodriguez, has issued 95 grants and partnered with the Department of Public Safety to fund roughly 3,200 cameras, with hundreds more planned along tollways. Following inquiries from The Texas Tribune, Gov. Greg Abbott's office announced it is pausing state funding for local Flock camera grants.