Texas public-sector context · AI in City Work

Workforce Skills Meet Public Responsibilities.

Cities, counties, school districts, and other public agencies face different AI obligations depending on the organization, employee, system, and use. Practical training connects organizational guidance to decisions employees make at work.

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Official sources reviewed October 21, 2026

Different Laws. Different Responsibilities.

These summaries separate legal requirements from practical training recommendations. Applicability needs review by your legal, records, HR, and IT teams.

HB 149 / TRAIGA

Effective January 1, 2026. The Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act includes restrictions on certain AI uses. Governmental agencies offering AI systems intended to interact with consumers must disclose the AI interaction before or when it occurs. Restrictions also address certain government social scoring and unlawful discrimination.

Workforce implication: Staff need to recognize public-facing uses that require disclosure or review. An internal draft and a public-facing AI system are different uses.

Official HB 149 / TRAIGA text

SB 1964: Governance & Oversight

Effective September 1, 2025. State agencies and local governments must adopt DIR’s AI Code of Ethics. Additional standards apply to heightened-scrutiny systems that autonomously make or control consequential government-service decisions. Local governments must review those systems and provide the review to DIR on request.

State-agency inventory and impact-assessment provisions should not be treated as identical local-government obligations. The system and applicable provision matter.

Workforce implication: Employees and leaders need escalation paths, clear expectations, and meaningful human review.

Official SB 1964 text

DIR AI Code of Ethics & Rules

Rules effective March 18, 2026. 1 TAC Chapter 219 includes the AI Code of Ethics for state agencies and local governments. It addresses oversight, accuracy, privacy, security, accountability, employee education, and records practices. Additional provisions depend on the system and entity.

Workforce implication: Turn expectations into practical information-handling, verification, and review habits.

Official adopted DIR rules · Chapter 219

HB 3512: Certified AI Awareness Training

Effective September 1, 2025. Annual certified AI training applies to covered state and local personnel. For local governments, employees and elected or appointed officials generally need both system or database access and computer use for at least 25 percent of required duties.

School districts have a specific exception: the cybersecurity coordinator trains annually; training for other covered district employees follows the district’s determination with that coordinator. Elected officials follow local-government requirements. Other statutory exceptions may apply.

Workforce implication: Identify covered personnel, select a current DIR-certified program, and document completion. DIR’s current guidance calls for annual compliance reporting by August 31.

AI Readiness Institute’s personalized skills session is supplemental applied training. It is not represented as a DIR-certified awareness program or a replacement for required certified training.

Official HB 3512 text · Current DIR training, exceptions & reporting guidance

Public information & retention · ongoing responsibilities

And Then There Are the Records.

AI-related information may be subject to applicable public-information or records-retention requirements depending on the circumstances. AI involvement alone does not decide disclosure or retention.

Public Information Act

The Texas Public Information Act provides access to government records, subject to exceptions. Agencies need to locate responsive existing information and route requests through their established process. Confidential information still requires protection.

Texas Attorney General: PIA overview

Records-Retention Guidance

TSLAC’s June 10, 2024 guidance classifies AI-generated records by administrative purpose and function, as with records created by people. There is no single retention period for everything AI produces. Consult your records officer and applicable schedules.

TSLAC: Classifying AI-generated records

Recommended practice: use approved accounts, identify where work is stored, and ask what must be retained or located later. Do not assume every prompt is automatically a public record.

Practice within your organization’s guidance

Put Expectations Into Everyday Decisions.

Personalized training uses one shared task and fictional or non-confidential materials. Employees practice giving clear instructions, protecting information, checking approved sources, and recognizing when qualified review is required.

Explore Dr. Alvarez’s SAFER AI Framework

Reviewed October 21, 2026. This is workforce education, not legal advice, a compliance audit, or cybersecurity certification. Requirements may change. Your organization determines applicability with its legal, records, HR, and IT professionals. One workshop does not guarantee compliance.

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