By Rita Cook
Correspondent
Texas Metro News
AUSTIN – Last week Texas Comptroller Don Huffines signed an executive order banning state grant money from being used to buy or contract for Flock cameras, automated license plate readers, and other vehicle-identification systems that convert images into computer-readable data. Huffines stated he was honored to fight the “erosion of freedoms constantly being taken from Texans. Government’s job is to protect your liberty, not take it. No spy cameras.”
Now let’s see how Texas politicians handle the next wave of oversurveillance. Look no further than City Detect cameras on municipal trash trucks or the SignalTrace system developed by Leonardo to see data sweeps moving past standard roadside poles to target the personal data footprint of every motorist.
Huffines’ order specifically blocks the procurement of prohibited surveillance systems—defined as any software, sensor, or algorithm used to log vehicles or capture images into a readable database—in all future grants administered by his office. The mandate directly covers platforms sold or operated by entities like Flock Safety, Motorola Solutions, and Axon Enterprise. “The government has no business tracking where law-abiding Texans drive. Doing it without a warrant is a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment,” Huffines noted.
Federal pushback is also mirroring Texas’ momentum. Texas U.S. Representative Keith Self (R-3) introduced the PRIVACY Act, backed by co-sponsors Rep. Eli Crane and Rep. Andrew Clyde. The legislation aims to prevent federal funds from purchasing AI vehicle grids while forcing law enforcement to secure a judicial warrant before accessing automated tracking networks. “Our government is supposed to get a warrant before invading that privacy… Get a warrant,” Self demanded.
However, newer tech continues to expand this oversurveillance. The SignalTrace system, engineered by global defense contractor Leonardo, represents a massive leap in roadside tracking by turning traditional plate cameras into radio frequency scanners. Instead of just reading plates, this intrusive platform monitors the 2.4GHz spectrum to scrape the unique, invisible MAC addresses broadcasting from smartphones, wireless earbuds, and vehicle dashboards. By flooding traffic with continuous probe requests, it creates a persistent digital dragnet that can cause localized electronic interference, freezing dashboard navigation networks for unsuspecting travelers.
Meanwhile, City Detect represents a mobile frontier of oversurveillance by turning standard city services into neighborhood auditing webs. In deployments like Dallas, the city has equipped roughly 50 bulk waste and sanitation trucks with specialized computer vision cameras to scan residential properties. As these fleets navigate weekly routes, an AI software called PASS AI automatically processes high-resolution photographs of private homes to check for code infractions and calculate algorithmic “blight scores,” subjecting law-abiding homeowners to continuous street-level surveillance without their consent or a warrant. So, while current formal orders explicitly name vendors like Flock Safety, the broad statutory language used by state officials does target the foundational mechanics of both SignalTrace and City Detect by prohibiting any state-funded software, algorithms, or mobile/fixed cameras that convert visual neighborhood or vehicle images into computer-readable data.
Rita Cook is a world traveler and writer/editor who specializes in writing on travel, auto, crime and politics. A correspondent for Texas Metro News, she has published 11 books and has also produced low-budget films.
