AUSTIN, Texas — A growing debate at the Texas Capitol could determine whether police and other government agencies in Texas can continue using automated license-plate reader cameras, including systems made by Flock.
The cameras capture license plate and vehicle images, along with a vehicle’s make and color, the plate number and state, and they record when and where a vehicle was seen, according to Flock.
Two bills filed in the Texas House would take different approaches to restricting the technology. Democratic Rep. John Bucy’s House Bill 331 would ban government use of the readers. Republican Rep. Brian Harrison’s House Bill 8471 would allow police to use them with a warrant or court order, limiting the data to investigations of certain violent crimes…