Texas Lawmakers Funded Flock Surveillance Cameras Through a $1 Auto Insurance Fee
The Texas Tribune·medium signal
The Texas Tribune traced grants from the state's Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, funded by a $1 per-policy fee on auto insurance, to purchases of Flock automated license plate reader cameras. The mechanism routes surveillance funding around the usual appropriations debate by attaching it to an insurance line item most drivers never see. The story drew 321 points and 187 comments on Hacker News, the largest engagement of any item in today's feed.