Lawmakers added $1 to Texans’ car insurance policies. The money paid for thousands of Flock cameras.

In 2023, the Texas Legislature unanimously increased auto insurance costs by $1 to combat catalytic converter theft. This additional fee, billed as $205.00 + GST for the first year, is meant to fund thousands of Flock cameras. The Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, overseen primarily by Governor Greg Abbott, has spent at least $30 million of this fee on Flock surveillance cameras.

This effort has resulted in at least 3,200 Flock cameras across the state, from El Paso to the Louisiana border. The authority has awarded grants to law enforcement agencies for 2,000 of these cameras. Another $15.9 million is helping the Texas Department of Public Safety install nearly 1,200 more cameras. Abbott's spokesperson announced that the governor is pausing all state funding for local grants to be used for Flock cameras, as the cities are relying mainly on federal funds for these installations.