What to Know:

• ERCOT wants a batch process for large-load interconnections instead of the current one-by-one review.
• PUCT is preparing to change cost allocation rules so residential customers do not shoulder the transmission build-out for hyperscale loads.
• Projects that bring their own generation or can reduce load in emergencies may have a smoother path to interconnection.

What to Know:

• College Station approved a $1.32 million Tyler Technologies contract for enterprise planning and development software that will support online permitting and internal city workflows.
• The purchase will replace the city’s aging eTRAKiT platform, which officials said has reached end of life.
• The company already provides the city’s financial and court systems.

What to Know:

• A Travis County district judge granted a temporary injunction April 13 blocking enforcement of the emergency HUB rules.
• The order also bars the comptroller from enforcing or adopting the proposed rules unless the Legislature amends the HUB Act and the governor signs it or a court declares the HUB Act unconstitutional or void.
• The comptroller must issue statewide notice to prime contractors and state agencies and publish the order online.

What to Know:

• The city of Harlingen ended fiscal 2024-25 with a record $41.3 million fund balance and $66.5 million in revenue, both up from the prior year.
• An independent audit gave the city a clean opinion and found no instances of noncompliance tied to internal controls, signaling sound financial management.
• The city’s $37.4 million unassigned balance could cover about 191 days of operations, though officials said they are watching risks tied to retirement costs and state limits on property tax revenue.

What to Know:

• North Central Texas Council of Governments Chief Innovation Officer Tim Howell discussed AI pilots on a Technology Foresight Council panel.
• He said NCTCOG is approaching AI adoption through three pillars: governance, enablement and access.
• Howell said his organization has backed that approach with an AI committee, annual strategic planning, an agent governance framework, staff training and an innovation sandbox for testing tools before production.

A Guide for Texas Agencies

Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption in government is accelerating, driven by pressure to improve service delivery, expand self-service and meet rising constituent expectations. But AI does not create maturity. Rather, it amplifies what already exists. Without strong content governance, AI introduces new risk rather than new value.

Modern identity solutions are key to service access and program integrity.

Overview