Former volunteer and paid firefighters both qualify.
The bill directs the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to design and issue a specialty license plate for retired firefighters. It covers former certified volunteer firefighters and former paid fire protection personnel. Eligible retirees can get the plate with no fee starting September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: CROSS-PARTY HANDOFF. Lead author John T. Smithee (R) in the House. Lead sponsor Judith Zaffirini (D) in the Senate. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.QUICK READ: 140 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 140 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).
relating to the issuance of specialty license plates for retired
firefighters.
WHAT IT DOES
Former volunteer and paid firefighters both qualify.
The bill directs the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to design and issue a specialty license plate for retired firefighters. It covers former certified volunteer firefighters and former paid fire protection personnel. Eligible retirees can get the plate with no fee starting September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
Sources
Senator Menéndez, on behalf of Senator Zaffirini, moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that HB 3135 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
Sources
Senator Menéndez, on behalf of Senator Zaffirini, moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that HB 3135 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
House committee · Transportation · Committee vote 12 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee
Senate committee · Transportation · Committee vote 8 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee
Subjects
Fire Fighters & Police--General
Vehicles & Traffic--Vehicle Registration
LICENSE PLATES
MOTOR VEHICLES, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF
Text
The text as introduced · 140 words
89R11557 GP-D
By: Smithee
H.B. No. 3135
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the issuance of specialty license plates for retired
firefighters.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 504, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 504.5131 to read as follows:
Sec. 504.5131. RETIRED FIREFIGHTERS. (a) In this section,
"retired firefighter" means a person who was formerly:
(1) a volunteer firefighter certified by:
(A) the Texas Commission on Fire Protection; or
(B) the State Firefighters' and Fire Marshals'
Association of Texas; or
(2) fire protection personnel, as defined by Section
419.021, Government Code.
(b) The department shall design and issue specialty license
plates for retired firefighters.
(c) There is no fee for the issuance of the license plates.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Monitoring 
