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What to Know:
- Midland Independent School District is adding ZeroEyes to its campuses, deploying the AI-based gun detection video analytics platform on top of existing security cameras.
- The move follows other local adopters, including Midland Christian School, which announced a ZeroEyes installation in September 2025, and Stonegate Fellowship, which added the system in January as part of its $40 million expansion.
- Midland ISD serves about 29,000 students and employs 3,200 staff across 40 campuses and is planning to open two new high schools in August 2028.
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What to Know:
- DIR is seeking a new executive director, who also serves as Texas’ state chief information officer, with applications due Feb. 27.
- The search follows the departures of former state CIO Amanda Crawford and Deputy Executive Director Steve Pier.
- The executive director leads statewide IT strategy, major procurements and shared services for an agency of about 325 employees.
What to Know:
- Laredo police plan to expand AI use across operations, with new systems rolling out in 2026.
- Tools include gunshot and crash detection, AI-assisted reporting, and real-time data integration to improve response times amid staffing shortages.
- Department leaders say AI supports efficiency, with all decisions remaining under human review.
What to Know:
- DIR is now accepting vendor applications to certify AI training programs for use by Texas government employees.
- Starting in FY 2026, annual AI training will be mandatory for most state and local government workers under House Bill 3512.
- Certified programs must meet seven standards focused on responsible AI use, risk mitigation, accessibility and relevance to public-sector work.
What to Know:
- DFPS is replacing its legacy IMPACT system with a federally compliant case management platform, supported by business process redesign and expected to improve data quality and usability.
- The agency is piloting generative AI and developing an AI governance framework, with more than 75 use cases identified and an evaluation report due in early 2026.
- New systems such as SEMARC and CGMS aim to streamline interagency background checks and contract oversight, while a Data Governance Program will guide data accuracy and security across DFPS.
What to Know:
- Houston approved more than $1.6 million in tech-related contracts, including SAP system upgrades and airport navigation system services.
- Precision Task Group Inc. was awarded a $435,000 contract to support enhancements to the city’s enterprise service management system.
- A $2.6 million legal settlement with EPI-USE America Inc. closed out a lawsuit tied to prior SAP-related services.
What to Know:
- The University of Texas at Austin is seeking a strategic advisory partner to guide the integration of automation and robotics in its new academic medical center.
- The RFQ focuses on early-stage planning and design readiness with a near-term need to define workflows for robotic material transport.
- The selected firm will help develop an automation road map, functional requirements and procurement-ready documentation to support future design and vendor selection.
What to Know:
- Brazos County adopted a new social media policy for employee use on platforms such as Facebook, X and Instagram, excluding elected officials.
- The policy bans obscene, political, commercial and discriminatory content and requires posts to be archived under public records law.
- Employees must complete annual training, and violations can lead to discipline or termination; personal accounts are not regulated unless misused.
What to Know:
- The Texas Comptroller is seeking industry input on a digital payment system backed by gold or silver stored in the state’s bullion depository.
- The system must comply with constitutional limits on state-issued currency and may involve digital tokens or other technologies.
- The RFI requests input on system architecture, settlement workflows, regulatory compliance and public-private partnership models.
What to Know:
- Laredo Police will implement a new 911 platform, Prepared 911, in early 2026 to route emergency call data and audio directly to responding officers.
- The system aims to reduce dispatch delays, improve officer safety and streamline response during high-call-volume periods.
- Residents reporting non-emergencies may be guided through automated prompts and offered secure online reporting options instead of waiting for an in-person response.
What to Know:
- The list targets AI firms, hardware makers and apps linked to the Chinese government and other foreign adversaries.
- Newly banned companies include AI developers such as SenseTime, iFLYTEK and Yitu, alongside major tech and hardware providers such as Alibaba, Baidu, TP-Link and DJI.
- Texas Cyber Command is now the lead agency for identifying and assessing tech threats, with enforcement support from DIR and the Department of Public Safety.
What to Know:
- Texas Tech University’s grant from the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund will help build a nanotechnology cleanroom facility in Lubbock.
- The project supports advanced semiconductor research and hands-on workforce training through the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering.
- The award is part of a broader effort under the Texas CHIPS Act to expand semiconductor research and technician training statewide.
What to Know:
- The Texas Broadband Development Office awarded the funds to expand rural broadband and flood-monitoring infrastructure.
- The project will improve ISP access to LCRA’s fiber network, upgrade flood-monitoring sites and extend fiber into underserved Central Texas communities.
- This grant follows Texas’ $1.27 billion BEAD plan approval and supports dual goals of digital equity and public safety.
What to Know:
- United Independent School District will launch a virtual high school program, United ConnectEd, open to all Texas students in grades 9-12 beginning in 2026.
- The district is responding to declining enrollment and competition from private schools and vouchers by expanding Early College programs and promoting open enrollment.
- Online registration for the 2026-27 school year begins Feb. 2, with options for hybrid learning and extracurricular participation for local virtual students.
What to Know:
- Houston ISD will pilot two new K-8 schools focused on artificial intelligence and workforce readiness.
- Curriculum elements include AI tools, design thinking and real-world problem-solving experiences.
- The announcement comes amid broader discussions about school consolidation and declining enrollment, with Superintendent Mike Miles citing potential funding sources and partnerships to support innovation and reduce costs.
What to Know:
- Myers spent nearly 14 years at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
- He announced the move in a LinkedIn post, where he expressed gratitude for mentors and emphasized a continued commitment to public service.
- Myers joins DIR during a leadership transition, with Amanda Crawford appointed insurance commissioner and Tony Sauerhoff now serving as interim CIO.
What to Know:
- TxDOT’s 2026-2027 budget includes $394 million for IT modernization, cybersecurity and connected infrastructure.
- Capital funding supports facility upgrades and embedded tech to improve operations and data collection.
- Recent AI strategy shifts TxDOT from pilot projects to agencywide deployments in automation and analytics.
What to Know:
- AI training will be mandatory for state and local government employees starting in FY 2026 under House Bill 3512.
- DIR will certify at least five training programs that meet new criteria focused on responsible AI use, risk mitigation and accessibility.
- Submission guidance is expected by the end of January.
What to Know:
- Greenville City Council approved a six-year agreement with Motorola Solutions to launch a drone-as-first-responder program for the police department.
- The system enables drone pilots to deploy drones remotely to high-priority calls ahead of or alongside ground units.
- The program will follow Federal Aviation Administration regulations and departmental policies, with coordination efforts underway to ensure interoperability with Walmart’s existing drone delivery system.
What to Know:
- TxDOT has completed more than a dozen AI projects and is actively developing more than 20 others, with 200-plus use cases identified.
- The updated plan aligns with new state law and introduces a formal scoring system to prioritize AI initiatives based on readiness, risk and impact.
- Key deployments include automated invoice processing, traffic incident detection and the rollout of generative AI tools to staff.
Industry Insider — Texas will not be sending a morning newsletter on Monday, Jan. 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The next newsletter will hit your inbox on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
What to Know:
- Sugar Land City Council approved $2.8 million for autonomous drones, real-time crime center software and expanded license plate recognition cameras.
- Axon Enterprises will provide two drones and FUSUS software subscription under a $594,000 contract.
- Flock Group’s LPR camera contract was amended to add two cameras and consolidate leases, raising the total contract value to $2.3 million.
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