Ken Paxton Unveils Texas First Datacenter Plan

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton unveiled a four-point Texas first plan to address public opposition to datacenters, which are frequently criticized for their high water and power consumption. The proposal includes banning Chinese technology in US datacenters and establishing criminal liability for companies if AI chatbots endanger children. Paxton also aims to reduce regulatory red tape to prevent electricity bill increases for residents.

Paxton, a Republican candidate for the US Senate, pledged to support Governor Greg Abbott's efforts to repeal sales tax exemptions and ban new datacenters in rural neighborhoods. This policy shift occurs as other officials, such as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, implement stricter guardrails on the industry due to energy and environmental concerns.

Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico has accused Paxton of hypocrisy, claiming the Attorney General previously accepted industry donations and supported tax handouts. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has characterized opposition to datacenters as a mistake, suggesting that such facilities bring significant financial benefits to the communities that want them.