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Lawmakers add $1 to car insurance for Flock cameras
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Texas lawmakers added $1 to car insurance to fund 3,200 Flock cameras. The fee, meant for catalytic converter theft, now expands surveillance.
Background
In 2023, the Texas Legislature unanimously passed a law adding $1 to auto insurance policies to combat catalytic converter theft. The Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, led by a board mostly appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott, used the funds to award grants for Flock cameras, resulting in at least 3,200 cameras installed across the state. Lawmakers say there was no discussion of using the money for surveillance cameras before the vote.
How it unfolded
- 2023Texas Legislature unanimously passed a law adding $1 to auto insurance policies to combat catalytic converter theft.
- Aug 24, 2026A Flock camera records drivers on Allen Parkway near downtown Houston, illustrating the network's presence.
- Aug 26, 2026Palestine City Council votes unanimously to discontinue its contract with Flock after public concerns.
- Aug 28, 2026Texas Tribune reports that the $1 fee has funded at least 3,200 Flock cameras, with 95 grants and $15.9 million for DPS.
Who’s saying what
- Lawmakers
- Some Democratic and Republican lawmakers say the use of funds for Flock cameras was not the intent of the 2023 law.
- Public
- Residents in Palestine voiced concerns about the cameras, leading the city council to exit the contract.
- Support
- The Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority and Gov. Abbott's office point to federal grants and the cameras' crime-fighting benefits.