Texas Pauses New License Plate Reader Permits

The State of Texas is putting the brakes on Flock security cameras.

Texas Halts New State Road Permits for Automated License Plate Scanners

Governor Abbott is putting the brakes on new Flock cameras on state roads, instructing state transportation officials to pause the approval process for installing automated license plate readers along Texas highways. The administrative hold specifically targets new permit applications for surveillance technology, including the widely used devices operated by Flock Safety.

Scope of the Permit Freeze

The Texas Department of Transportation confirmed that while the review process is paused, existing cameras will remain in place. This includes nearly 1,000 readers currently used by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Transportation officials emphasized that their role is strictly limited to evaluating installation safety along state roads. They do not monitor the cameras or collect surveillance data.

Financial Restrictions

The permitting halt follows a separate directive issued by Governor Abbott in late August that restricted state grant money from being used to purchase or support Flock camera networks. That decision preceded media reports highlighting tens of millions in state funding previously routed toward local surveillance acquisitions.

Texans Pushback on Surveillance

Across Texas, the widespread deployment of license plate readers has faced growing public pushback. Municipal leaders and county commissioners have increasingly voted to dismantle local camera networks, driven by citizen privacy concerns and high-profile investigations involving law enforcement personnel misusing the surveillance databases for personal tracking.

Public Safety Benefits

Despite increasing regulatory hurdles and local pushback, law enforcement continues to advocate for automated plate readers, saying the searchable databases help investigators quickly resolve vehicle thefts, locate missing persons, and track suspects involved in major crimes.