(The Center Square) – A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced a bill to use image technicians to ebb the flow of drugs smuggled into the United States from the southern border. 

The Border Enforcement, Security and Trade Facilitation Act of 2025 comes amid increased conversation around border security in President Donald Trump’s second term, and in response to high-profile drug busts on the southern border. It would create technician jobs in border security for five years, but with no clear plan for the future.

The bill is sponsored by U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona; James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, and John Cornyn, R-Texas.

“Customs and Border Protection needs more trained personnel to stop illegal drugs, weapons and human smuggling from entering our country,” Kelly said in a statement this week. “By adding image technicians to identify threats at ports of entry, we’re giving law enforcement another essential tool to secure the border while keeping trade flowing.”

It is unclear exactly what impact the technology would have on smuggling of drugs or other illicit goods. The bill also left out the program’s cost. Kelly’s press office did not respond to a request for comment from The Center Square on either of these issues. 

Nearly 1,000 pounds of fentanyl – the drug that has become the center point of the substance abuse issue in the U.S. in recent years – was seized along the southwestern border in January 2025. It was the month’s lowest tally since 2022.

“Adding more personnel at ports of entry will immediately provide our country with another layer of security to prevent traffickers from smuggling weapons or drugs across the border,” said Lankford. “Border law enforcement has repeatedly asked for more support to analyze cargo images in real time, so this bill also gives them tools they need to catch criminals and secure our border.”

The program would run for five years, starting from when the bill is passed. No details have yet come out about next steps for the program or the image technicians it would employ. 

(The Center Square) – While the pension plan for North Carolina state employees remains underfunded, the same can’t be said for a separate, voluntary 401(k) style programs for public employees, according to a report Thursday.

There are 294,625 employees enrolled in NC 401(k) Plan, and another 57,413 in the NC 457 Plan. Both plans are designed to supplement public pensions. State Treasurer Brad Briner chairs the board that oversees the two programs.

Briner has expressed concern that the state’s pension plans are underfunded by about $16 billion and rank near the bottom nationally in investment performance.

However, the 401(k) and 457 programs are “among the largest and lowest-cost public plans in the country,” the treasurer’s office said in a release.

The 401(k) plan allow public employees to make contributions with pretax payroll deductions. The 457 plan, also through payroll deductions, is a deferred compensation program.

Michael McCann, managing director of Empower, which manages the North Carolina plans, provided an upbeat report to the state’s Supplemental Retirement Board of Trustees.

“From a plan health perspective, everything is looking really good in terms of the trend line,” McCann told the board. “Average participant balances are continuing to increase. The active participation rate is above its historical norm. The active average employee deferral continues to set higher and higher trends in terms of what participants are contributing.”

Even with an aging population and increased retirements, the plans continue to grow, McCann added.

“We’re also replenishing that population, where total unique participant balances continue to increase,” he said. “Last year, was our second best year ever, beating 2023 in terms of total enrollment.”

Another sign of stability of the plans is loan activity – participants borrowing from their accounts – remained consistent in 2024, despite the heavy damage from Hurricane Helene in the western part of the state.

About 2,000 plan participants did take advantage of the Qualified Disaster Relief distributions that were approved by the board last fall. Participants who lived in the disaster areas were allowed to withdraw up to $22,000 without penalties, and can later recontribute some or all of the amounts withdrawn if they choose.

A waiver extension of the board’s administrative fee for 12 months was approved unanimously. A release says the action will save participants $1.7 million over the next year.

(The Center Square) – The Tennessee Senate will consider legislation that establishes a pilot program for an artificial intelligence weapons detection system.

One of the grant requirements is a loss of life on campus due to gun violence during the 2024-25 school year, which makes Metro Nashville Public Schools the only system eligible, said Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R- Chattanooga, the bill’s sponsor.

A 17-year-old student at Antioch High School killed one student before committing suicide with a gun in January. Another student was injured.

Metro Nashville Public Schools is implementing the Evolv weapons detection system in its schools.

“The system uses low-frequency radio waves and AI technology to scan individuals as they walk through,” the school system said on its website. “If an item is flagged, school staff will conduct a quick secondary check, making the process faster and less invasive than traditional metal detectors.”

The artificial intelligence system can differentiate between other metals such as cellphones and keys and weapons, the school system said.

Antioch High School began testing the technology just days after the shooting.

The Metropolitan Nashville Board of Public Education approved $1.25 million to place the system in all high schools.

The pilot program begins with the 2025-26 school year. The cost to the state for the start of the grant program is $17,000, but the amount of grant funding is unknown, according to the bill’s fiscal note.

The Senate Education Committee approved the bill unanimously on Wednesday. The full Senate will consider it on Monday.

A companion bill in the House of Representatives sponsored by Rep. Antonio Parkinson, D- Memphis, is assigned to the House Education Administration Subcommittee.