Government
BY ELISABETH JIMENEZ & BEN THOMPSON
Police license plate reader program halted The Austin Police Department’s use of hundreds of automated license plate readers, or ALPRs, will end this month following community opposition against the data collection initiative. What happened City Council was scheduled to vote on June 5 to inde nitely continue an ALPR program. However, public pushback this month led City Manager T.C. Broadnax to withdraw the item to more closely vet the program. An APD spokesperson said the department supports the move to allow for more review and public engagement. Zooming in After city o cials suspended the use of ALPRs in 2020, the technology returned under a one-year pilot program with council-imposed guidelines related to privacy and data-sharing with outside law enforcement agencies. It started last March and was temporarily extended this spring, and a city audit of program results was released in May. APD Chief Lisa Davis said ALPRs were key to solving dozens of criminal cases since early 2024. Opponents on the council dais and in the commu- nity have said the cameras represent surveillance overreach, and that Austin’s contract with public safety technology company Flock Safety allows for unwanted data-sharing with agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ALPR software used in dozens of xed spots and more than 500 police vehicles will now be shut o . While some o cials said they wouldn’t support ALPRs in any form, a program extension could still be considered by the end of 2025. Low aquifer levels in Hays County prompts restrictions Water use restrictions are in place as local aquifer water levels hit historic lows. Zooming out With aquifer levels dropping, the Edwards Aquifer Authority set tighter water restrictions this
Vape sales could be banned near schools New vape shops in Austin will soon be prohibited from selling vape products near schools and daycares. The details A City Council resolution approved this spring calls to prohibit the sale of e-cig- arettes and synthetic nicotine products within 1,000 feet of Austin daycares and public and private schools. City sta will also engage with schools, parents and impacted businesses to receive stakeholder feedback before the policy— which won’t apply to existing shops—when it goes into e ect. A draft of the vape-ban ordinance will be presented to council by mid-September. Dig deeper Council member Krista Laine, who drafted the resolution, said the presence of vape shops near schools is harmful for students and that mandatory district discipline related to vaping can negatively a ect stu- dent learning. Council member Chito Vela said a sales ban could avoid such discipline. “This resolution is a step toward protect- ing our students from unnecessary crimi- nalization and supporting their health and future,” Vela said. The resolution was supported by Texans for Safe Drug-Free Youth, the American Lung Association, and state Sens. Molly Cook, D Houston, and Donna Campbell, R New Braunfels.
Council member Mike Siegel joined other o cials and community groups opposed to the program on June 4.
BEN THOMPSON COMMUNITY IMPACT
Millions of license plate scans led to dozens of arrests under a city pilot program. Austin automated license plate reader program results
License plate scans
40M
37,697,936
30M
23,623,874
20M
13,790,311
10M
0
Trial Q1
Trial Q2
Trial Q3
Arrests
Prosecutions
40 60 80 100
20 0
Trial Q1
Trial Q2
Trial Q3
SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN COMMUNITY IMPACT
spring. The EAA called for a Stage 5 management phase, requiring permit holders to reduce with- drawal by 40%. Water levels hadn’t been as low since June 1990. The EAA scaled back to Stage 4 on May 29. Other Hays County residents are also facing low water levels in the Lower Trinity Aquifer. Aquifer data showed a water level decline of 3 feet in April compared to March, and down 6 feet compared to last year. Local water suppliers implemented watering restrictions in May due to the low levels. The U.S. Drought Monitor predicts Hays County will continue to face drought conditions over the next three months.
Watering restrictions
Dripping Springs WSC customers must follow a limited watering schedule.
Watering hours: Either 7-10 a.m. or 7-10 p.m.
Commercial and homeowner association common areas : odd addresses Friday only, even addresses Tuesday only Residential: odd addresses Saturday only, even addresses Sunday only
Schools: Monday only
SOURCE: T HE DRIPPING SPRINGS WATER SUPPLY CORP. COMMUNITY IMPACT
11
SOUTHWEST AUSTIN DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION
Powered by FlippingBook