Sep 10, 2025 Technology Commission

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:05]

EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS STEVEN APODACA, UH, CHAIR OF THE TECHNOLOGY, UH, COMMISSION.

I AM CALLING.

OUR MEETING TO ORDER.

TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH, UH, 2025.

I HAVE THE TIME AT 6 37.

WE ARE COMING TO YOU, UH, FROM THE, UH, BOARDS OF COMMISSIONS ROOM IN CITY HALL.

UH, ALTHOUGH SOME MEMBERS OF OUR, UH, COMMISSION MIGHT BE PARTICIP VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE, UH, WE'LL START WITH THE ROLL CALL.

ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS STEVEN AKIN.

I'M REPRESENTING DISTRICT TWO.

UH, WE'LL START THE, WITH THE FOLKS IN THE ROOM STARTING TO MY LEFT.

GO AHEAD.

UH, THIS IS COMMISSIONER CUBY REPRESENTING DISTRICT SEVEN REVI, REPRESENTING DISTRICT 10, COMMISSIONER EASTWOOD REPRESENTING DISTRICT EIGHT.

AND, UH, WE'LL JUST GO IN ORDER IN WHICH I SEE YOU ON THE SCREEN.

COMMISSIONER, HERITAGE COMMISSIONER HERITAGE REPRESENTING DISTRICT FOUR AND COMMISSIONER RICE.

COMMISSIONER RICE REPRESENTING DISTRICT FIVE.

OKAY, SO WE HAVE A QUORUM, UH, AND I BELIEVE OUR VICE CHAIR WILL BE BACK SHORTLY.

UM, BUT JUST TO WALK THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THROUGH OUR AGENDA.

UH, CURRENTLY WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.

I'M GONNA SKIP AROUND IN OUR AGENDA.

UM, SO, UH, I'M GONNA ACTUALLY START WITH AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO.

WE HAVE A FEW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE, UH, TO ADDRESS US ON, UH, COMMUNITY IMPACT OF THE TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION.

UH, THEN WE'LL MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM THREE, UM, OR EXCUSE ME, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, TO REVIEW A RECOMMENDATION FROM ONE OF OUR WORKING GROUPS.

AND THEN WE'LL SKIP BACK TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE.

SO IF THAT ITEM DOES PASS, WE'LL HAVE SOME REVISIONS TO MAKE TO OUR REPORT OUT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

AFTER THAT, WE'LL MOVE INTO THE WORKING GROUP UPDATES, UH, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, AND, UM, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

[2. Hold a public hearing to solicit feedback from the public and community stakeholders regarding the usefulness and relevance of the Technology Commission stated purposes and duties and its success in fulfilling those purpose and duties.]

UM, SO THAT IS THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING TO SOLICIT FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.

AND WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE, UM, SOME FORMER COMMISSIONERS AND FRIENDS OF THE COMMISSION.

SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO MALCOLM YATES.

UH, FIRST, UH, TO ADDRESS THE, UH, COMMISSION ON THE, UH, THE SUN SETTING, UH, PILOT PROGRAM, UH, THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE WILL BE REPORTING OUT TO, UH, THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, ON AN OCTOBER.

OVER TO YOU, MALCOLM.

NO, THERE WE GO.

THERE WE GO.

MY NAME IS MALCOLM YATES.

I HAVE BEEN A CITIZEN OF AUSTIN FOR OVER 40 YEARS.

I WORKED IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TELE COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT FOR 20 YEARS.

AFTER I RETIRED IN 2014, I SERVED ON THIS COMMISSION FOR EIGHT YEARS.

AT THAT TIME, THIS COMMISSION WAS CALLED THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION.

I'M HERE TODAY TO DOCUMENT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS COMMISSION.

THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WAS ORIGINALLY FORMED TO PROVIDE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT OF THE CABLE TELEVISION NETWORK.

FRANCHISE STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION REDUCED THE AUTHORITY OF CITIES TO REGULATE TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES.

THE NAME OF THIS COMMISSION WAS THEN CHANGED TO THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION TO REFLECT THE CHANGE IN FOCUS OF THIS COMMISSION.

THIS COMMISSION PERFORMS A VITAL FUNCTION.

THIS FUNCTION IS CITIZEN OVERSIGHT OF THE INFORMATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSETS OF THE CITY.

EVERY CITY UTILITY DEPARTMENT HAS A CITIZEN OVERSIGHT BOARD, AUSTIN WATER, AUSTIN ELECTRIC, AND THE AIRPORT.

30 YEARS AGO, THE INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEPARTMENT DID NOT PROVIDE SERVICES DIRECTLY TO CITIZENS.

THE INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEPARTMENT PROVIDED SERVICES TO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT CHANGED WITH THE INTERNET.

WHERE ARE WE HERE? TRY IT AGAIN.

YEAH.

CITY INFORMATION IS NOW PROVIDED ONLINE TO CITIZENS CITIZEN REQUEST SERVICES ON THE CITY.

WEBSITE.

COMPANIES USED

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WHAT ALSO CHANGED 30 YEARS AGO WAS THAT THE CITY BECAME A TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK PROVIDER.

THE GREATER AUSTIN AREA TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK HAS OVER 350 MILES OF MULTIS STRAND FIBER OPTIC CABLE CONNECTING OVER 500 BUILDINGS BELONGING TO SEVEN DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.

THESE ARE ONLY A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE INFORMATION AND TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES PROVIDED BY THIS CITY UTILITY.

THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS ITS OWN TELEPHONE NETWORK CONNECTING ALL CITY BUILDINGS.

THE CITY PROVIDES PUBLIC ACCESS TELEVISION CHANNELS AND THE PRODUCTION FACILITIES TO CREATE CONTENT.

THE CITY SENDS OUT EMERGENCY ALERTS TO CITIZENS.

THE CITY OF AUSTIN NOW OPERATES A PUBLIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS UTILITY, JUST LIKE THE WATER UTILITY AND THE ELECTRIC UTILITY.

THIS CITY OF AUSTIN INFORMATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS UTILITY NEEDS THE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT PROVIDED BY THIS COMMISSION.

THIS TASK OF PROVIDING OVERSIGHT OF THE MANY INFORMATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESOURCES IS IMPORTANT.

THIS CITIZEN OVERSIGHT CANNOT BE SUSPENDED BECAUSE SO MANY MISSION CRITICAL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH THESE RESOURCES.

THIS TASK OF PROVIDING OVERSIGHT OF THE MANY INFORMATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESOURCES IS ENORMOUS.

THIS OVERSIGHT CANNOT BE FOLDED INTO ANOTHER COMMISSION BECAUSE THE SCOPE OF THIS OVERSIGHT IS SO LARGE.

THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION MUST CONTINUE ITS PURPOSE AS AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION TO ENSURE CITIZEN ACCESS TO CITY INFORMATION, CITIZEN ACCESS TO SERVICES, AND THE SAFETY OF CITIZENS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MALCOLM.

APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AS WELL TO THE CITY BY SERVING ON THE COMMISSION.

UH, DO DO ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MALCOLM? NO.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, ADVOCATING FOR US, AND, UM, YEAH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE TO THE CITY AND OTHER FORMS. UH, NEXT WE HAVE SUMIT DE GUPTA, ALSO A FORMER MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION, UH, SUMIT.

I WILL LEAVE IT TO YOU.

OKAY.

UH, GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.

UH, GOOD EVENING CHAIR.

GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.

UH, IT'S A PLEASURE, UH, TO BE BACK HERE.

I USED TO WARM THAT SEAT RIGHT THERE.

UM, AND I USED TO HURL QUESTIONS TO THE PEOPLE SITTING HERE.

SO I HOPE YOU'LL BE KIND TO ME AND NOT PAY ME BACK FOR THE MANY QUESTIONS THAT I BADGED PRESENTERS WITH.

SO, UM, JUST AS A POINT OF REFERENCE, UM, I'M GONNA KEY OFF THE PRESENTATION THAT MALCOLM GAVE.

HE AND I SERVED TOGETHER FOR MANY YEARS.

I PROBABLY HAVE SERVED LONGER THAN ANYBODY ELSE IN THE HISTORY OF THIS CITY, UH, 10 YEARS.

THAT'S BECAUSE I WAS APPOINTED INITIALLY BY SHERRY GALLO, WHO THEN HANDED OVER THE BATON TO ALLISON ALTER, WHO EVEN WHEN I WAS READY TO RETIRE, REFUSED TO LET ME RETIRE .

AND I HAD A ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL TIME BEING A MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION.

SO I HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THAT THIS COMMISSION GOES FORWARD AND DOES THE KIND OF, UH, GOOD WORK THAT IT IS KNOWN FOR, AND WHICH IS DONE FOR MANY YEARS.

SO, LET'S SEE.

OKAY, LET'S SEE.

AH, THERE YOU GO.

LET GO BACK.

SO THERE ARE THREE THINGS I WANTED TO KEY ON.

ONE IS, UH, UH, SOME, UH, KEY COMMISSION ACTIVITIES THAT IT'S HISTORICALLY BEEN PERFORMING AND THAT ARE EXTREMELY VALUABLE FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE CITY FOR WHICH CITIZEN OVERSIGHT IS ESSENTIAL.

OKAY? IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE CITY CAN, OF COURSE, THE CITY CAN DO IT ON ITS OWN.

THEY DO THE WORK, BUT WE ARE THE ONES THAT PROVIDE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT.

OKAY? SO THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

TWO IS I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A SMALL INTERSECTION.

I'VE HEARD RUMORS THAT, UH, EITHER THIS COMMISSION WILL BE SUNSETTED OR WILL BE MERGED WITH ONE OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONS.

SO WHAT I DID WAS I WENT IN TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WEBSITE, AND I LOOKED AT ALL THE COMMISSIONS, AND I FOUND ONLY ONE WITH WHICH IT HAS A TANGENTIAL INTEREST, A SLIGHT OVERLAP.

BUT I WORKED IN THE INDUSTRY, THE IT INDUSTRY FOR 44 YEARS.

AND I LEARNED VERY EARLY THAT IF YOU MERGE IDEAS TOGETHER UNDER THE SAME ROOF, YOU DILUTE THE PURPOSE OF THAT ORGANIZATION.

YOU NEED TO HAVE FOCUS AREAS.

SO THERE'S A FOCUS AREA OF THIS COMMISSION, AND THIS OTHER COMMISSION THAT I FOUND HAS ANOTHER FOCUS AREA

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SO I HAVE A LAST SLIDE, OF COURSE, IS ON RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO, UM, THERE ARE REALLY THREE SPECIFIC AREAS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE KIND OF WORK THAT THIS COMMISSION DOES, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE IS TO CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE THAT EVEN TODAY EXISTS SO THAT YOU CAN ENHANCE DIGITAL LITERACY, AND IN PARTICULAR, IN UNDERSERVED GROUPS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.

NOW, I WAS THE, UH, CO-DIRECTOR OF THE, UH, AUS AUSTRALASIAN COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE.

AND AS PART OF THAT EFFORT, I FOUND OUT THAT WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THE CITY.

IT'S A TECH HEAVY CITY, A LOT OF GOOD TECHNICAL TALENT.

BUT EVEN IN THIS CITY, THERE ARE AREAS, POCKETS IN THE CITY LIKE THIS, LIKE PARTICULARLY IN DISTRICT FOUR, WHERE ALL THE NEW IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES ARRIVE WAS VERY, VERY LOW ON TECHNICAL DEPTH AND EQUIPMENT.

AND SINCE WE DID MOST OF OUR COUNTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, THAT DISTRICT WAS UNDER COUNTED.

SO THERE'S A EFFORT THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO ACCIDENTAL REDLINING, THERE'S NO ACCIDENTAL DENIAL OF SERVICES, DENIAL OF CAPABILITIES, ET CETERA.

SO THAT'S A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TASK THAT THIS COMMISSION DOES, AND IT SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO IT BECAUSE THE WORK IS NOT COMPLETED.

OKAY? SO AS PART OF THAT, WE ADVISED, UH, WE, YOU KNOW, WE ADVISED IN CITY PROGRAMS AND INVESTMENTS, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE OF THEM WAS GT OS.

AND IF YOU HAVEN'T COME ACROSS GT OS, YOU SOON WILL.

IT'S A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAM.

IN FACT, IN MY TENURE IN THE 10 YEARS WE WORKED WITH THE CITY AND INCREASED THE BUDGET FOR, UH, GT OS.

SO IT'S NOW AT A HEALTHY LEVEL, OKAY? SO THAT WE CAN SPEND THAT MONEY IN MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN RESOLVE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS OF DIGITAL LITERACY THAT STILL EXISTS.

BUT, AND THE OTHER ASPECT WAS, IT WAS AN IDEA THAT WAS A, IT WAS A BENCHMARKING THAT THE LIBRARY DID AND CAME AND PRESENTED TO US TO SEE IF WE WOULD SUPPORT THEM.

AND THAT IS, UH, THEY WOULD RENT OUT HUBS.

THERE ARE PARTS OF THE CITY, LIKE IN DISTRICT FOUR PARTS OF THE CITY WHERE, UH, CHILDREN DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH COMPUTING EQUIPMENT TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK OR DO THE, UH, THE COLLEGE APPLICATIONS, ET CETERA.

SO THE LIBRARIES STARTED GIVING OUT THESE HUBS ON SHORT-TERM, UH, RENTALS.

AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS A BRILLIANT IDEA.

AND WE PROPOSED TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

IN FACT, THERE WAS A RESOLUTION WE PASSED, AND THE CITY COUNCIL INCREASED THE BUDGET FOR THE LIBRARY SO THAT MORE LIBRARIES COULD GO OUT AND ACQUIRE THESE HUBS AND MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN FROM POOR FAMILIES.

SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS, SORRY, OOPS, DID I SAY SOMETHING WRONG? .

.

SO THOSE, I, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE TWO, UH, INITIATIVES THAT I PERSONALLY AM VERY PROUD OF.

AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE PARTNERED WITH MANY, MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE SH SIMILAR SHARED VALUES AND, AND, AND GOALS LIKE LATINITAS AND, YOU KNOW, OPEN AUSTIN, ET CETERA.

AND THEY WOULD COME AND TALK TO US.

WE WOULD GO AND VISIT THEM AND WORK WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS, UH, EFFORT IN REMOVING, UH, I MEAN REMOVING THE, THE, THE GREAT DIVIDE IS REMOVED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

UM, THE OTHER ASPECT WAS WHILE WE WERE SUFFERING FROM COVID, UH, WE WORKED WITH ISD.

NOW, IS IS A LITTLE DISTANT BECAUSE IT'S NOT PART OF CITY ADMINISTRATION, BUT THEY HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THE CITY, AND WE HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THEM.

AND THEN THEY CAME AND MADE A PRESENTATION TO US ON WHAT THEY WERE DOING TO EDUCATE CHILDREN DURING COVID.

AND WE CONSULTED WITH THEM TO TELL THEM THAT NOT ONLY MUST THEY INVEST IN HARDWARE, BUT THEY MUST ALSO INVEST IN TRAINING MATERIALS AND TRAINING FOR THE TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS SO THEY COULD GO ONLINE.

AND THAT, BY THE WAY, AFFECTED THE CENSUS BECAUSE THE EQUIPMENT THAT WENT TO THE STUDENTS WERE ALSO USED.

WE WERE LAUNCHING ADS INTO THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, AND THAT'S HOW WE MANAGED TO RAISE THE, UH, ACCOUNT.

SO THAT, THAT WAS AN AREA THAT WE FOCUSED ON, AND IT CONTINUES TO BE FOCUSED ON IN THE AREA OF REMOVING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.

THE OTHER ONE IS POLICY GUIDANCE ON EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES.

AND THERE'S A WHOLE, UH, YOU KNOW, HOST OF AREAS THAT WE COVERED.

SO THE FOCUS AREAS WAS, UH, TRANSPARENCY AND SECURITY STANDARDS IN STORAGE OF PERSONAL DATA, AND WAS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS DOING A PD WAS DOING ON COLLECTING INFORMATION.

AND WE WANTED TO KNOW HOW WELL THEY WERE SECURING THE INFORMATION, HOW ROBUST IT WAS, HOW TRANSPARENT IT WAS, AND HOW LONG THEY

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OKAY? SO WE WORKED WITH A PD GIVE CONSULTATION TO THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT CITIZENS, UH, UH, UH, DATA WAS SECURE.

UH, THE OTHER ONE, I, I'M JUST GOING TO GO OVER, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT GIVE YOU EXAMPLES.

UM, UH, THE OTHER ONE IS SURVEILLANCE PRACTICES.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CAMERAS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, ONE OF THE PRACTICES THAT PROVIDE US SECURITY, BUT YET MAINTAIN THE, UH, UH, IDENTITY OF CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, SECURE.

AND THE LAST, AND NOT THE LEAST, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED JUST AS I WAS RETIRING.

AND THAT IS WHAT ARE THE, UH, THE, THE, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO BROADBAND THE USE OF AI.

SO THERE WAS A STUDY DONE THAT WAS WORKING GROUP THAT WAS CREATED TO STUDY WHAT ARE THE ETHICAL BOUNDARIES THAT HAVE TO BE ESTABLISHED SO THAT AI CAN BE UTILIZED FOR THE GOOD OF ALL THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY.

OKAY? AND THE LAST BULLET IS ON RECOMMENDATION AND FOLLOW THROUGH ON STREAMLINING THE CITY, UH, PROCESSES.

AND THE TWO ITEMS I WAS DEEPLY INVOLVED IN.

ONE WAS, OF COURSE, GOING TO THIS HYBRID MEETING DURING COVID.

AS YOU KNOW, WE MOVED TO A HYBRID SETUP.

AND THE QUESTION WAS, WHY CAN'T WE DO THAT? AND THE REASON THAT WAS GIVEN TO US WAS, UH, OPEN MEETINGS ACT, ET CETERA.

BUT WE SAID, YEAH, BUT THESE ARE DIFFERENT TIMES, DIFFICULT TIMES.

AND WE SERVED AS THE GUINEA PIG, AND I WAS ONE OF TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SERVED AS A GUINEA PIG, WHERE I WOULD CALL IN.

AND IT, I BECAME SO USED TO IT SINCE I LIVED AROUND THE AR ARBORETUM AREA, IT IS QUITE PAINFUL TO DRIVE DOWN AT THAT TIME THROUGH MOPAC.

SO SINCE WE WENT TO HYBRID MEETING, I THINK I SAT IN THAT CHAIR ONLY ONCE.

SO OUT OF THE 10 YEARS, I OCCUPIED THAT CHAIR FIVE YEARS.

AND THE OTHER FIVE YEARS I DID IT FROM MY OFFICE AT HOME.

AND SO NOW IT HAS BECOME UBIQUITOUS, BUT THIS COMMISSION IS THE ONE THAT MADE IT HAPPEN.

AND IT IS THIS KIND OF WORK THAT WE DO IN THIS COMMISSION THAT HAS TO CONTINUE.

OKAY? AND THE LAST ONE, OF COURSE, THERE WAS A CREATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL VOTING HISTORY.

IT WAS A CITIZEN WHO CAME AND SAT HERE AND GAVE THIS REQUEST, AND WE WORKED WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE, CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, AND MADE IT HAPPEN.

OKAY? IT IS PART OF THE STREAMLINING PROCESS THAT CONTINUE, THAT HAS TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AS THE CITY MOVES FORWARD.

AND AGAIN, THIS CANNOT HAPPEN WITHOUT CITIZEN OVERSIGHT, OKAY? BOTH FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHO MADE THE PRESENTATION, AND FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SIT HERE AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN WITH THE CITY.

OKAY? SO LAST SLIDE, PLEASE.

OH, NO, SECOND LAST SLIDE.

SO I THOUGHT I'D PUT THE LAST SLIDE.

PICTORIALLY.

I WENT AND LOOKED AT ALL THE COMMISSIONS, AND I FOUND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION IS THE ONLY ONE WITH WHICH IT HAS A TANGENTIAL INTEREST, AND ONLY IN THE AREA OF GTOP S BECAUSE THEY'RE ABOUT INCREASING PROSPERITY IN THE CITY.

SO THE MORE PEOPLE YOU HAVE WHO ARE TRAINED WITH, YOU KNOW, DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY, THE MORE LABOR FORCE, THE, THE, THE RICHER THE LABOR FORCE.

SO GTOP S HAS SOME OVERLAP, BUT THE REASON THAT THE OVERLAP IS JUST LIMITED TO THAT LITTLE, UH, YOU KNOW, INTERSECTION IN THE VENN DIAGRAM IS BECAUSE GTOP S HAS A LOT OF TECHNICAL DEPTH, AND THIS IS WHAT THE TECHNICAL DEPTH IS.

SO IT BELONGS HERE, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S THIS OVERLAP WITH THE PROSPERITY COMMISSION, AND THESE OTHER BOXES ARE ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO THAT I JUST REFERRED TO IN THE LAST SLIDE.

SO THIS COMMISSION DOES A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN GTOP S WHOLE LOT MORE, OKAY? AND THIS KIND OF ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE.

SO I HOPE THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE DECIDES TO NOT ONLY KEEP THIS COMMISSION RUNNING, NOT MERGE IT WITH ANOTHER COMMISSION, BUT KEEP THIS COMMISSION RUNNING AND TO SUPPORT IT WITH, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF HERE SO THAT THIS COMMISSION SUCCEEDS FOR THE GOOD OF THE CITY.

SO THAT'S MY LAST SLIDE.

I SHOULD GO TO MY LAST SLIDE.

OKAY.

SO BASICALLY, THOSE ARE THE WORDS WHICH I JUST SAID.

OKAY.

THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR FORMER COMMISSIONER SUPTA? DOES SOUND LOOK, LOOK LIKE IT? OKAY.

SOUNDS LIKE YOU NAILED IT.

THANK YOU, .

THANK YOU.

IT'S A PLEASURE.

I APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE TO THE, THE CITY FOR OVER 10 YEARS, SERVING ON THE COMMISSION AND, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO, SUMIT.

SO, UH, THANK YOU.

HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE BOTH YOU AND, AND MALCOLM BACK AGAIN VERY SOON.

THANK YOU.

I CAN BE REACHED , YOU HAVE MY NUMBER, , OF COURSE.

WITH THAT.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE A THIRD CITIZEN HERE, UH, TO, UH, ADDRESS THE COMMISSION, UM, ABOUT, UH, OUR IMPACT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE KEVIN WELCH FROM,

[00:20:01]

KEVIN, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU WHEN YOU'RE READY.

UM, GOOD EVENING.

UH, MEMBERS OF THE TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION, UM, MOST OF YOU, UH, PROBABLY KNOW ME AT THIS POINT, BUT FOR THOSE WHO DON'T, AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING THIS MEETING ONLINE OR LATER VIA THE ARCHIVE VIDEO, MY NAME IS KEVIN WELCH, AND I'M THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD AT EFF AUSTIN, A TEXAS NONPROFIT BASED IN AUSTIN THAT DOES EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY WORK AROUND DIGITAL CIVIL LIBERTIES ISSUES.

AS PART OF THAT WORK, A FEW MONTHS AGO, I GAVE A PRESENTATION TO THE TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION ON THE SUBJECT OF AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS OR APRS.

AND I'M DELIGHTED AND HONORED THAT THE TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION HAS ASKED ME BACK THIS TIME TO GIVE MY THOUGHTS ON THE TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION ITSELF AND THE VALUE IT PROVIDES TO THE CITY AND CITIZENS OF AUSTIN.

THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS MANY COMMISSIONS, MOST OF WHICH ARE A VITAL AND VALUABLE SPACE WHERE CITIZENS CAN COME AND SPEAK WITH APPOINTED ADVOCATES WHO ARE SUBJECT AREA EXPERTS FOR THE TOPICS UNDER THE COMMISSION COMMISSION'S PURVIEW IN THE INTEREST OF MAKING SURE THAT THE CITY'S COMMISSIONS ARE FUNCTIONING WELL, FULFILLING THEIR MANDATES, AND ARE ENGAGED IN TOPICS OF SUFFICIENT INTEREST TO THE CITIZENS TO WARRANT A CITY COMMISSION.

THE CITY IS CURRENTLY CONDUCTING AN AUDIT TO EXPLORE WHICH CITY BOARD SHOULD POTENTIALLY BE SUNSET.

AS I HOPE MY TESTIMONY TODAY WILL MAKE CLEAR TO THOSE CONDUCTING THIS AUDIT.

THE CITY'S TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION IS AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE AND NECESSARY BOARD TO THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN.

AND I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO NOT ONLY KEEP THE COMMISSION AROUND, BUT IF ANYTHING, TO GIVE IT MORE RESOURCES AND EXPAND ITS SCOPE.

EFF AUSTIN'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION IS LONGSTANDING AND PREDATES MY TIME WITH EFF AUSTIN, WITH OUR FORMER BOARD MEMBER, COURTNEY ROSENTHAL, HAVING SERVED AS A COMMISSIONER MANY YEARS AGO, ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE THE COMMISSION WAS KNOWN BY ITS FORMER NAME OF THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION AT THAT TIME.

IN MORE RECENT TIMES, IN ADDITION TO PRESENTING TO THE COMMISSION ON THE TOPIC OF APRS, I'VE WORKED WITH THE COMMISSION IN ITS WORK GROUP ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

IN ALL OF MY INTERACTIONS WITH THE COMMISSION, I HAVE BEEN DELIGHTED AND IMPRESSED BY THE BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE, DEPTH OF EXPERTISE, AND CONVIVIAL RAPPORT THAT THE COMMISSIONERS BRING TO THEIR WORK.

ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT ONE DESIRES IN THE CITY COMMISSION IS A DELIBERATIVE BODY THAT IS MORE ACCESSIBLE AND APPROACHABLE FOR DEEP DISCUSSION THAN ONE CAN USUALLY OBTAIN AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

AND IN THIS DEPARTMENT, THE TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION IS A SHINING SUCCESS.

TO SPEAK MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS COMMISSION'S ROLE AND WHY IT IS SO VITAL FOR AUSTIN, LET'S START WITH THE OBVIOUS.

IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, AUSTIN LIKES TO PRESENT ITSELF TO THE WORLD AS A TECHNOLOGICALLY SAVVY CITY.

WE ARE RIGHTFULLY PROUD OF OUR MONIKER OF SILICON HILLS AND GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE 1960S THROUGH EIGHTIES, WITH COMPANIES LIKE TRA CORE IBM, TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, MOTOROLA NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS, DELL, MCC, AND ORIGIN SYSTEMS. AUSTIN HAS BEEN LEADING THE COUNTRY FORWARD IN THE TECHNOLOGY SECTOR TODAY.

NUMEROUS MAJOR COMPANIES LIKE META ALPHABET, ORACLE, TESLA, APPLE, AMAZON, A MD, INTEL AND SPACEX HAVE HEADQUARTERS.

OUR LARGE SATELLITE OFFICES HERE.

TO SAY THAT TECHNOLOGY IS IMPORTANT TO WHAT MAKES AUSTIN, AUSTIN IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT, TO SAY THE LEAST.

AND THEREFORE, IT STANDS TO REASON THAT WE WANT BOTH OUR CITIZENS TO BE PROVIDED ADVOCATES AND OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE PROVIDED EXPERTS.

WHEN THE SUBJECT OF LEGISLATION AND THE REGULATION OF TECHNOLOGY COMES UP AT CITY HALL, WHICH IT FREQUENTLY DOES, BEYOND THE PRESENCE OF THE TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY IN AUSTIN, IS THE REALITY THAT WE ARE LIVING THROUGH A TECHNOLOGICALLY TRANSFORMATIVE EPOCH, A SECESSION OF TECHNOLOGIES OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS, PERSONAL COMPUTERS, THE INTERNET, THE WORLDWIDE WEB, SMARTPHONE, AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, DRONES, GENERATIVE AI, AND MANY OTHERS HAVE TRANSFORMED THE WORLD WE LIVE IN.

THE PACE OF CHANGE CAN BE OVERWHELMING, AND EVEN TRADE EXPERTS IN THESE FIELDS FREQUENTLY HAVE TROUBLE KEEPING UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS TO THE AVERAGE CITIZEN.

THE EFFECTS OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES ARE KEENLY FELT, BUT IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO TRULY UNDERSTAND HOW THESE TECHNOLOGIES WORK AT A DEEP LEVEL, WHICH CAN HAMPER THEIR ABILITY TO OFFER EFFECTIVE REMEDIES TO THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES WHEN THESE TECHNOLOGIES ENDANGER AND VIOLATE THEIR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS.

FURTHERMORE, OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES THEMSELVES ARE OFTEN NOT TECHNOLOGY EXPERTS AND ARE EXPECTED TO EVALUATE LEGISLATION AROUND TECHNOLOGY AND ITS REGULATION WITHOUT ALWAYS HAVING THE SUBJECT AREA EXPERTISE TO EVALUATE HOW EFFECTIVE A PARTICULAR REMEDY MAY BE, OR IF IT MAY BRING UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

THIS CAN LEAVE THEM VULNERABLE, BOTH TO LOBBYISTS WHO ARE MORE INTERESTED IN THEIR EMPLOYER'S BOTTOM LINE THAN THE PUBLIC GOOD.

AND TO THE VOICES OF THE LOUDEST ACTIVISTS ON ALL SIDES OF AN ISSUE.

GROUPS WHO USUALLY MEAN WELL AND CAN OF COURSE SPEAK TO THEIR OWN LIVED EXPERIENCES AND THE HARMS TECHNOLOGY HAS SUBJECTED THEM TO, BUT WHOSE PROPOSED SOLUTIONS MAY NOT BE GUIDED BY AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE TECHNOLOGY CAN AND CAN'T DO, AND WHAT REMEDIES HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE ACTUALLY EFFECTIVE IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS DEBATES AT DAWSON CITY HALL AROUND A HOST OF TECHNOLOGY ISSUES RANGING FROM ALPS TO RIDE SHARE APPS, FROM FACIAL RECOGNITION TO SURVEILLANCE OF OUR PARKS AND LIBRARIES, TO EVEN NOW ABOUT WHEN AND HOW THE CITY SHOULD HANDLE CITY AND CITIZEN DATA WITH THIRD PARTY VENDORS.

THESE ISSUES AREN'T GOING AWAY.

AND AS OUR WORLD BECOMES EVER MORE TRANSFORMED BY TECHNOLOGY, OUR CITIZENS AND OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES WILL NEED TO INCREASINGLY HAVE

[00:25:01]

THE TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION HAS ALREADY FULFILLED THIS ROLE IN NUMEROUS WAYS OVER THE YEARS, AND I TRUST THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WILL SEE THE VITAL NECESSITY OF ALLOWING THIS COMMISSION TO CONTINUE.

ITS INVALUABLE WORK, AND I PERSONALLY LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE COMMISSION IN THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, KEVIN.

UH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR KEVIN FROM THE COMMISSION? WELL SAID.

WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN PERSON AND, UH, CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR US.

UH, HOPE TO HAVE YOU BACK REALLY SOON.

AND, UM, ON A PERSONAL NOTE, UH, THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR INPUT TO THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE'RE TAKING UP LATER TONIGHT.

SO, YEAH, I DIDN'T WANNA TOOT MY OWN HORN, BUT I'M, UH, VERY HAPPY FOR MY SMALL CONTRIBUTIONS TO SAID RECOMMENDATION, .

THANKS AGAIN.

SO WITH THAT, UM, I THINK BETWEEN LAST MONTH AND THIS MONTH, WE HAD NINE OR 10 INDIVIDUALS, UH, INDIVIDUALS PLUS ORGANIZATIONS, UH, COME THROUGH AND GIVE IMPACT STATEMENTS.

UM, SO WE WILL PACKAGE THAT UP AND SEND IT TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, UH, WHO WILL BE, UH, PRESENTING AND MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, DURING THEIR MEETING IN OCTOBER.

SO, UH, ENCOURAGE ALL COMMISSIONERS TO REACH OUT TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, ON THEIR THOUGHTS AROUND CONTINUING OUR WORK ON THE COMMISSION.

UM, SO WITH

[4. Approval of the artificial intelligence working group’s recommendation for establishing community input and technology commission review for sensitive technology contracts]

AND I DO SEE COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS, UH, WAS ABLE TO, TO JOIN US.

UH, COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS, SINCE THIS ITEM ORIGINATED FROM YOUR, UH, WORKING GROUP.

WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND CONTEXT, UH, AND WALK US THROUGH, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE THE AGENDA TONIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

HELLO ALL.

UM, COMMISSIONER BRIAN AM WILLIAMS FROM DISTRICT ONE.

UM, AND I AM ALSO, UH, HELPING AND HEADING THE, UH, WORKING GROUP ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, UH, WITH THIS, UH, AUSTIN TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE LOOKING AT ARE A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE PLAN TO SEND TO CITY HALL, UH, WITH THE INTEREST OF REALLY DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITIZENS REGARDING WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE ANCILLARY ISSUES THAT, THAT, UH, INVOLVES AND CAUSES.

UM, OUR GOAL IS TO, UH, REALLY ENSURE THAT CITIZENS ARE PROTECTED, UM, THAT BUSINESS CAN STILL FLOURISH IN THAT ENVIRONMENT, AND THAT WE ARE NOT, UH, CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE ALLOW THE, I GUESS I'LL SAY LEAST DESIRABLE, UH, OUTCOMES OF TECHNOLOGY TO BE THE OUTCOME WE HAVE HERE IN AUSTIN.

UM, JUST LIKE, UH, WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, AUSTIN BRANDS ITSELF AS A TECHNOLOGY CITY, AND IT HAS BEEN EXACTLY THAT FOR A NUMBER OF DECADES.

AND AS SUCH, MAKES SENSE THAT AUSTIN WOULD HAVE THE SMARTEST AND MOST, UH, CONSCIENTIOUS WAYS OF DEALING WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT AFFECT OUR CITIZENS.

SO WE ARE LOOKING TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE IN THAT DIRECTION.

UM, AND WE HAVE ONE TO TALK ABOUT HERE, WHICH I CAN GO INTO GREATER DETAIL ABOUT, UM, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR FIRST, AND WE'LL BE MAKING SEVERAL MORE OVER THE, THE, THE NEAR FUTURE.

UH, SO CURRENTLY DO WE HAVE THE TEXT OF THE RECOMMENDATION WITH US? UH, WE DO.

EVERYONE IN THE ROOM, UH, HAS A PRINTED COPY, AND IT IS ALSO AVAILABLE, UH, BEING PULLED UP.

UM, NOW.

PERFECT.

AND YES, THIS IS A TEXT OF THE RECOMMENDATION WE MADE PREVIOUS.

EXCELLENT.

SO THE SPIRIT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION CENTERS AROUND, UH, A TOPIC WE HEARD ABOUT A BIT EARLIER WITH REGARD TO SURVEILLANCE IN THE CITY.

UM, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS ARE BEING USED IN WAYS THAT COLLECT LARGE AMOUNTS OF DATA, UH, IN ORDER TO, IN SOME CASES, UH, THE GOAL IS TO PREVENT CRIME IN SOME CASES.

THE, UH, GOAL IS TO IDENTIFY THOSE WHO ARE POTENTIALLY PERPETRATORS OF SOME CRIME.

UH, BUT IN ORDER TO FIND THOSE, UH, INDIVIDUALS OR TO KIND OF IDENTIFY THOSE POTENTIAL INDIVIDUALS, UH, WE'RE COLLECTING VERY LARGE AMOUNTS OF DATA AND DOING SO WITH, UH, EXTERNAL VENDORS TO THE CITY WHERE WE HAVE, UH, VERY LITTLE OVERSIGHT, AND IN SOME CASES, VERY LITTLE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW DATA'S BEING HANDLED, UH, WHAT DATA'S BEING COLLECTED, HOW LONG THAT DATA STAYS, UH, AND WE ALSO, UH, HAVE A LACK OF ABILITY FOR RECOURSE, RIGHT? SO IF LARGE AMOUNTS OF DATA ARE BEING COLLECTED, AND MOST OF IT IS NOT BEING USED, UH, DO CITIZENS WHO HAVE CREATED THAT DATA, WHO ARE THAT DATA ESSENTIALLY, UH, DO THEY HAVE A MEANS TO ENGAGE WITH THOSE VENDORS AND THAT INFORMATION TO FIND OUT,

[00:30:01]

UM, WE DON'T THINK IT IS BALANCED, UH, FOR A VENDOR WORKING FOR THE CITY TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO COLLECT LARGE AMOUNTS OF DATA.

AND THE CITY CAN'T, UH, EITHER GET THEIR HANDS ON IT TO AUDIT IT, TO SEE THAT IT'S DELETED, IF IT'S NOT BEING USED FOR ITS ORIGINAL INTENDED PURPOSE OR ANY OTHER, UH, SENSE OF RECOURSE DATA IS THE NEW GOLD, RIGHT? DATA IS THE NEW OIL.

UH, I UNDERSTAND VERY WELL WHY, UH, COMPANIES WOULD WANT TO COLLECT LARGE AMOUNTS OF DATA, UH, IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, PARTICULARLY HERE.

UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE MOTIVATION FOR THAT IS SOMETIMES MISALIGNED WITH THE MOTIVATION OF PROTECTING THE CITIZENS AND GIVING THE CITIZENS A QUALITY OF LIFE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY APPROVE OF HERE IN AUSTIN.

SO THIS FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS TO, UH, HOPEFULLY RECOMMEND TO THE CITY THAT WE TAKE A DIFFERENT COURSE OF ACTION WITH REGARD TO TWO SPECIFIC, UH, INTERACTIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED HERE.

UH, ONE BEING A, UH, SURVEILLANCE, UH, RELATED ISSUE WITH, UH, OUR PARKS WHERE WE HAVE SOME CAMERAS THAT WATCH THE PARKS IN ORDER TO KIND OF CATCH BAD ACTORS, BUT IN THE PROCESS OF THAT, THEY CAPTURE EVERYONE.

UM, AND THE SAME THING WITH A LICENSE PLATE READER, UH, TYPE OF SURVEILLANCE, UH, CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE, AGAIN, THE INTENDED, UH, GOAL IS TO CAPTURE OR IDENTIFY BAD ACTORS.

BUT IN THE COURSE OF THAT, UH, WE CAPTURE EVERYONE AND VERY FEW, UH, VERY SMALL BITS OF THAT DATA ARE BEING UTILIZED FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE.

SO OUR RECOMMENDATION HERE, UH, ADDRESSES THAT.

SO, UH, WE CAN TALK A BIT MORE ABOUT THE, THE SPECIFICS OR I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA DO A READING HERE OR HOW FAR WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO IT, BUT I'M GOING TO, TO DEFER TO STEVEN, UH, FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE NEXT STEPS TO BE.

YEAH.

UM, AND ALSO WANT TO GIVE COMMISSIONER PREVE, SINCE SHE WAS A CO-AUTHOR OF THE, UM, OF THE RECOMMENDATION, AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO CHIME IN AS WELL.

THANK YOU.

I, UM, I AM, I'M HAPPY WITH THIS.

I THINK THAT THE, INITIALLY WHEN WE WERE TALKING ALTOGETHER, WE WERE, UH, IN OUR CONVERSATIONS TALKING ABOUT APRS SPECIFICALLY.

SO I REALLY LIKE THAT THIS IS JUST IN GENERAL AROUND SENSITIVE TECH, AND THERE'S SOME REALLY GREAT, YOU KNOW, SECTIONS AROUND THIS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PIECE, THE COMMISSION REVIEWS, SO LIKE HIGHLIGHTING OUR ROLE THERE.

UH, THE ONLY SPECIFIC THING THAT I WAS THINKING OF FROM OUR CONVERSATIONS WAS SPECIFICALLY AROUND APRS AND THE BEST PRACTICES FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND STATES.

UH, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE POSSIBLY COVERED UNDER COMMISSION REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS SINCE THAT IS PART OF HOW WE WANNA WORK AND THE KIND OF EXAMPLES AND REFERENCES THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO, UM, POINT TO.

I'M SPECIFICALLY THINKING ABOUT KEVIN'S MENTION OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE LAW, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE THERE'S LIKE A THREE, WHAT IS IT, THREE MINUTE MAXIMUM, UM, DATA RETENTION POLICY FOR ANY SORT OF APRS.

SO THERE IS THOSE BEST PRACTICES THAT EXIST FOR SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY POINT BEING, LIKE, JUST SO THAT WE CAN SAY THAT THAT'S HOW WE'RE ALSO THINKING ABOUT IT, THAT WE'RE, WE'LL REFERENCE THOSE THINGS.

BUT I THINK THAT THAT IS COVERED UNDER THE COMMISSION REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION.

IF SOMEONE THINKS IT SHOULD BE SPECIFICALLY HIGHLIGHTED, WE CAN DO THAT.

UM, BUT THAT WAS MY ONLY SPECIFIC THING THAT I WOULD ADD.

OKAY.

KEVIN, DID YOU, UH, AS A CITIZEN COLLABORATOR, CO-AUTHOR, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT, UH, ALSO WANNA GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT AND CONTEXT TO THE COMMISSION? UM, PER JUST GONNA SAY, UM, YES, IT IS THREE MINUTES IN THE NEW HAMPSHIRE LAW, UM, BY FAR THE, UH, STRICTEST RETENTION LIMIT THAT I'M AWARE OF ANYWHERE, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT BECOME MORE COMMON.

UM, UM, YEAH, AND I GUESS, UM, I WOULD SAY I, I THINK YOUR FEE IS GOOD.

UM, I MIGHT ALSO POINT YOU AT YOU TO, UH, THE ONE BULLET THAT, UM, I SPECIFICALLY AUTHORED THAT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONS THAT WE SHOULD BE SEEKING ALIGNMENT WITH EXISTING REGULATION.

I SPECIFICALLY POINT TO, UH, SOME OF TEXAS'S STATE LAWS, UM, TRAGA AND, UM, WHATEVER THE ACRONYM FOR THE, UH, DATA PRIVACY ONE IS TRAGA ISS, THE AI ONE, BUT I SPECIFICALLY CALL THAT OUT AS WE SHOULD BE SEEKING TO BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW ON THESE ISSUES AND LOOK TO THEM FOR GUIDANCE.

SO JUST, YEAH.

UM, BUT YES, I AGREE WITH YOUR FEEDBACK AS I PUT THAT IN THERE.

GREAT.

I JUST SAW THAT, AND THAT WOULD BE A LAW, RIGHT? SO IN THAT CASE, IT IS COVERED, I THINK, IN HERE, WHICH IS GOOD.

YES.

COMMISSIONER COMBI, UH, LOOKING THROUGH THE RECOMMENDATION, THE ONE AREA WHICH I DON'T REALLY SEE COVERED, AND I WAS CURIOUS OF THOUGHTS, WAS ABOUT SHARING OF DATA WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTAL JURISDICTIONS AND ALSO ACCESSING DATA FROM OTHER GOVERNMENTS.

I MEAN, LIKE FLOCK, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THEY WERE PUSHING WAS THE FACT THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES COULD

[00:35:01]

AND YOU, I'M NOT SEEING NECESSARILY A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT HOW MUCH WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, ALLOW OUR CITY TO CO, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATE IN THOSE KIND OF SYSTEMS. MM-HMM .

I DO SEE ONE, UM, BULLET UNDER ONE OF THESE SUB-BULLETS UNDER, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO REFERENCE THIS.

YEAH.

SUB-BULLET NUMBER TWO, STRICT LIMITATIONS ON DATA'S THE ONE SHARING CONSISTENT WITH COUNCIL POLICY.

OKAY.

THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD.

WE MAYBE WANT TO ADD SOMETHING ABOUT ACCESSING DATA FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS AS WELL.

LIKE WHAT? SURE.

A POLICY BE THERE MM-HMM .

MM-HMM .

OH, SO YOU MEAN LIKE OPPOSITE, LIKE RIGHT.

HOW WOULD WE USE THE OTHER WAY AROUND? YEAH.

YEAH.

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY MOSTLY CONCERNED WITH THE CITIZENS HERE OF AUSTIN BECAUSE THIS IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT YEAH, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE BOUNDARIES.

IS THERE A SPECIFIC, UM, AMENDMENT TO THE LANGUAGE YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE? UH, LET ME THINK ABOUT THAT.

SURE.

AND I'LL TALK BACK IN LATER IN THE MEETING.

OKAY.

YES, KEVIN? UM, I ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT THAT WOULD BE UNDER THE PURVIEW OF, UH, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, WHAT WE'RE THINKING OF.

AND I, I LIKE THAT YOU ACTUALLY CALLED OUT THE DATA AS BIDIRECTIONAL.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT WE SHARE WITH OTHER CITIES, BUT WHAT WE WANT OTHER CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES, UH, TO SHARE WITH US.

SO THAT'S AN EXCELLENT CALL OUT.

I THINK, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THE, UH, COMMISSIONERS, BUT I, YOU KNOW, MY OWN UNDERSTANDING OF WAS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO NOT GET, UM, WE DIDN'T WANNA PLAY WHACK-A-MOLE WITH EVERY NEW ISSUE.

WE WERE REALLY TRYING TO ESTABLISH A POLICY THAT COULD ACT AS A FRAMEWORK FOR EVERY ISSUE THAT MIGHT COME UP, NOT JUST ONES THAT INVOLVE, UH, DATA SHARING.

THAT BEING SAID, UM, YOU'LL NOTE ONCE AGAIN, THE, UH, BULLET THAT I INTRODUCED PROPOSES THE IDEA THAT WE SHOULD WORK ON ESTABLISHING A SORT OF LIST OF PROHIBITED USES WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY SHORT CIRCUIT THE WHOLE PROCESS WHERE A CITY COUNCIL'S PROPOSING SOMETHING WITH A VENDOR THAT WOULD DING THE PROHIBITED USES LIST FOR TECHNOLOGY OF THINGS WE JUST DON'T ALLOW, PERIOD.

WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH A WHOLE, UH, BRING IT TO THE TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION, HAVE CITIZEN INPUT SESSIONS.

IT'S JUST LIKE, NOPE, WE, AS A CITY THAT'S PROHIBITED.

WE DON'T DO THAT AND SAVE EVERYBODY TIME AND MONEY.

SO I WOULD HOPE THAT, UH, INAPPROPRIATE DATA SHARING, I WOULD HOPE WOULD EVENTUALLY END UP ON THIS PROHIBITED USES LIST.

YEAH.

THANK YOU.

I WOULD LIKE TO CHIME IN AS WELL.

UM, I THINK IF CITY DATA IS TO BE SHARED BETWEEN A, BETWEEN AUSTIN AND ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY, THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE DONE BY A VENDOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

MM-HMM .

UM, AND IN THIS CASE, WE'RE DISCUSSING THE BEHAVIOR OF VENDORS AND WHERE WE'D LIKE TO DRAW THE LINES WITH WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT DO.

THAT IS NOT SPELLED OUT HERE.

BUT I DO THINK IT WOULD BE WISE OF US TO, TO, TO CLEARLY SAY, UM, I CAN'T SAY IF THE CITY SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T SHARE DATA WITH ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY FOR THIS OR THAT REASON, BUT I CAN SAY THAT IF THAT HAPPENS, I WANT IT TO BE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.

I WANT IT TO BE SOMEONE THAT'S ACCOUNTABLE TO THE CITIZENS.

UM, AND I THINK THAT IS A, AT LEAST AN APPROACH TO AN APPROPRIATE BALANCE.

I THINK YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE WILDFIRE PREVENTION SOFTWARE THAT WAS DEMOED TO US AND SHOWCASED TO THAT, BECAUSE THAT IS DATA SHARING AMONGST MUNICIPAL MUNICIPALITIES IN TRAVIS COUNTY.

AND THERE, I, IT FELT LIKE THERE WAS A DESIRE AMONGST THE COMMISSION TO ENCOURAGE THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND SO I THINK JUST WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, RESTRICTING COOPERATION AT A LOCAL LEVEL, YOU NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF LIKE, ARE WE PUTTING UP MORE BARRIERS FOR THE SAKE OF PUTTING UP BARRIERS AND INHIBITING, YOU KNOW, WHAT OTHERWISE WOULD BE PRODUCTIVE GROWTH.

YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

AND I THINK FOR THAT SPECIFIC, UM, SCENARIO, I BELIEVE IT WAS COUNCIL POLICY TO SHARE, UM, TO CROSS SHARE THAT INFORMATION WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE A LPR SITUATION, I BELIEVE, AND KEVIN MEENA, UH, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY CHIME IN.

I BELIEVE COUNSEL HAD DIRECTED THAT INFORMATION CAPTURED STATE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THAT HASN'T NECESSARILY BEEN HAPPENING THROUGH THE VENDOR, BUT I'LL DEFER TO YOU ALL ABOUT THAT PRACTICE.

I MEAN, I, UH, WAS NOT THERE FOR THE PRESENTATION ABOUT THE WILDFIRE THING, SO I CAN'T SPEAK DIRECTLY.

I, I WOULD SAY THAT I THINK THERE'S A VERY MATERIAL DIFFERENCE IF THAT IS A PROPOSAL OF DATA SHARING DIRECTLY BETWEEN MUNICIPAL ENTITIES WITHOUT A THIRD PARTY VENDOR IN THE MIX, THAT WOULD MAKE THE TWO VERY DIFFERENT RIGHT THERE.

UM, AND I THINK YET AGAIN, THAT'S, YOU RAISE A CASE OF, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE LIKE TO SAY IN OUR GROUP, YOU KNOW, THAT TECHNOLOGY IS NOT NECESSARILY GOOD OR EVIL, IT'S A TOOL.

IT'S HOW PEOPLE USE IT.

UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN EVEN VERY HOT BUTTON TOPICS RIGHT NOW, LIKE DATA BROKERS, WHICH PROBABLY I WOULD BE HAPPY IF A NATIONAL LAW BANNED THEM OUTRIGHT.

EVEN I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE, UH,

[00:40:01]

GOOD.

SO I, I APPRECIATE THAT.

CALL OUT THE NUGGETS BLACK AND WHITE.

AND I THINK THAT ACTUALLY SPEAKS TO THE, UH, THE STRENGTH OF THE APPROACH WE'RE TAKING HERE, WHERE WE, YOU'LL NOTE, WE DIDN'T DECIDE TO SIT DOWN AND SAY, HERE'S A LIST OF PROHIBITED THINGS, BECAUSE IT'S VERY EASY TO RUSH OUT LEGISLATION AND HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

I, I THINK THAT'S PRECISELY THE POINT OF NOT SPELLING THAT OUT RIGHT NOW, THAT SOMEBODY LIKE YOURSELF COULD SAY, WELL, WAIT, WHAT ABOUT THIS? AND HOW DO WE THREAD THAT NEEDLE OF, YEAH, WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO BE SAFE FROM WILDFIRES AND ALLOW DATA SHARING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.

HOW CAN WE ACHIEVE THESE GOOD THINGS, UH, WITHOUT HAVING HARMS, LIKE FROM A LPR DATA SHARING.

AND I THINK THAT'S PRECISELY WHY, UH, ONCE AGAIN, SPEAKING TO THE THEME OF WHY THE TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION NEEDS TO STICK AROUND, THESE ARE THORNY THINGS WHERE YOU HAVE TO DEBATE VERY SUBTLE THINGS.

LIKE, WHY IS THIS THING NOT LIKE THIS THING? AND HOW DO WE REGULATE TO ALLOW THAT GOOD THING AND STOP THAT BAD THING? SO I GUESS I'D JUST SAY I THINK THAT'S, YET AGAIN, A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHY WE'RE NOT SPECIFICALLY, EVEN THOUGH I THINK WE ALL SUSPECT THERE WOULD BE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WOULD END UP ON THAT LIST OF PROHIBITED THINGS, LIKE CERTAIN FORMS OF BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION, ET CETERA.

WE JUST DIDN'T WANNA SPELL THEM OUT AT THIS STAGE BECAUSE THAT SHOULD BE A NUANCED, INVOLVED, EVOLVING PROCESS.

SOME OF THE HARMS WE MAY NOT EVEN REALIZE UNTIL THINGS HAPPEN, AND THEN WE HAVE TO RESPOND ACCORDINGLY.

SO, UM, I, I TAKE YOUR POINT.

AND I, I THINK IT'S A GOOD ONE.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHY THIS PROCESS THAT WE'RE APPROACH WE'RE TAKING IS A SOLID ONE.

I WANT TO OPEN IT UP TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, UM, THAT ARE VIRTUAL.

UM, I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER HERITAGE, UM, WANNA GET YOUR THOUGHTS BY NOW.

YOU, YOU WOULD'VE HAD TIME TO REVIEW THE RECOMMENDATION AND THEN, WE'LL, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER RICE.

I THINK MY THING, UH, COMMISSIONER COMBY REFERENCED IT AS WELL WAS JUST ON THE, THE SHARING OF INFORMATION ACROSS JURISDICTION.

SO, UM, I THINK THAT WAS THE BIGGEST CALL OUT THAT I SAW, BUT IT, I KNOW IT'S IN HERE, BUT I JUST WANNA BE MINDFUL OF THAT BI-DIRECTIONAL PIECE.

SO I THINK THAT WAS THE, THE, THE MAIN THING I DIDN'T SEE MAYBE AS CLEARLY LAID OUT, BUT IT COULD BE.

WE WANNA KEEP THE LANGUAGE BROAD ENOUGH.

UM, TO KEVIN'S POINT, I'M FINE WITH THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S GREAT WORK.

AND I'M ACTUALLY REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS IDEA OF COMMISSIONER REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION.

SO THAT WAY THERE IS A BIT OF, IT CONTINUES TO REINFORCE OUR COMMISSION'S ETHOS AND REASON TO BE AROUND IS THAT WE CAN ESSENTIALLY OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.

I LOVED THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PUBLIC FORUM PIECE.

UM, I FEEL LIKE WITH THE A LPR PIECE THAT HAPPENED EARLIER, THERE WAS A LOT OF FEEDBACK THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE, UH, BEEN ACCEPTED OR AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR ON THAT.

SO, UM, I THINK IF WE HAVE A, A FRAMEWORK FOR COUNCIL TO FOLLOW AND ROLL OUT A POLICY RELATED TO THIS OR PROCESS FOR THIS, I THINK IT'LL BE, UM, HOPEFULLY GIVE A PLATFORM FOR MORE OF THAT ENGAGEMENT THAT FOLKS DIDN'T ALWAYS FEEL THEY HAD LAST EARLIER IN THE YEAR.

YEAH.

AND I, I THINK TO THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, THIS, OUR COMMISSION AT LEAST CURRENTLY ISN'T NECESSARILY TAKING A, UH, POSITION ON THE PAST A LPR ISSUE OR EVEN ON THE, THE PUBLIC PARK SURVEILLANCE ITEM.

BUT, UM, SO I THINK THAT'S GOOD, BUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE, WE'VE COME UP WITH A FRAMEWORK TO DEAL WITH THESE TYPES OF, UM, SITUATIONS AND THESE TYPES OF VENDORS AND THESE TYPES OF PROCUREMENT ACTIVITIES AT THE OUTSET, UM, GIVES A GOOD, UM, FRAMEWORK AND, AND OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR PUBLIC INPUT.

UH, COMMISSIONER RICE, I WANNA TURN IT OVER TO YOU.

A ANY, UH, THOUGHTS AFTER HAVING REVIEWED THE RECOMMENDATION AS IT'S BEEN PRESENTED? UH, YOU'RE ON MUTE.

YOU CAN'T GET OFF OF MUTE, HUH? OKAY.

WELL, I'M GONNA ASSUME IT'S ALL GOOD ON YOUR END THEN.

GREAT WORK, GUYS.

I THINK WE, THIS IS REALLY, I THINK WE, THIS IS REALLY GOOD.

I THINK WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW.

COMMISSIONER RICE, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

YEAH, I MEAN, YEAH, I WASN'T GONNA ADD ANYTHING NEW.