HB 3539

bill letting pregnant drivers use HOV lanes alone

Did not pass

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

Rep. Caroline Harris DavilaRHouse 52

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the use of a high occupancy vehicle lane by an operator of a motor vehicle who is pregnant.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Pregnant and alone in the car still counts.

The bill lets a pregnant driver use any high occupancy vehicle lane in Texas even if she is alone in the car. It touches pregnant drivers and the agencies that run and police HOV lanes. Starting September 1, 2025, the unborn child counts toward letting the driver use the carpool lane.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 1744 by Rep. Leach (Did not pass) and this bill (Did not pass). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 1744 by Rep. Leach (Did not pass). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.QUICK READ: 121 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 121 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).STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Transportation committee 11-0 on May 1, 2025. Never placed on a calendar. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3539 · 2025-02-28

SOLD BY

Rep. Caroline Harris DavilaRHouse 52

ITEM

relating to the use of a high occupancy vehicle lane by an operator of a motor vehicle who is pregnant.

WHAT IT DOES

Pregnant and alone in the car still counts.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 22, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Feb 28, 2025Filed
Mar 24, 2025Read first time
Mar 24, 2025Referred to Transportation
Apr 17, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 17, 2025Withdrawn from schedule
Apr 24, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 24, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 24, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 24, 2025Left pending in committee
May 1, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 1, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 7, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 8, 2025Committee report distributed
May 8, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars

ALSO NOTED · NOT CHARGED (1)

CARVE-OUT · analysis confidence 30%

THE TEXT

…“An operator of a motor vehicle who is pregnant”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill grants an HOV lane exemption to one class of drivers, pregnant operators. The caption openly says this, so it is a narrow benefit honestly described.

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Caroline Harris Davila

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$961K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$739K Court Reform Action for Familes Texas PAC$75K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 27, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$960,552.08

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$960,552.08

Cash: $85,000.00
Paid by others: $875,552.08
Total: $960,552.08

advertising $595,238.00mail $237,770.40polling $42,460.35fundraiser $83.33

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101008087, 101031516, 101035818, 101040655, 101057099, 101067933, 101070037.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$739,102.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$739,102.00

Cash: $200,000.00
Paid by others: $539,102.00
Total: $739,102.00

canvassing $430,352.00advertising $100,000.00polling $8,750.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 8, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101067933, 101070037.

Court Reform Action for Familes Texas PAC$75,000.00

Court Reform Action for Familes Texas PAC

$75,000.00

Cash: $75,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $75,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Oct 6, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 6, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101070037.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$960,552.08

Cash: $85,000.00
Paid by others: $875,552.08
Total: $960,552.08

advertising $595,238.00mail $237,770.40polling $42,460.35fundraiser $83.33

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101008087, 101031516, 101035818, 101040655, 101057099, 101067933, 101070037.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$739,102.00

Cash: $200,000.00
Paid by others: $539,102.00
Total: $739,102.00

canvassing $430,352.00advertising $100,000.00polling $8,750.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 8, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101067933, 101070037.

Court Reform Action for Familes Texas PAC

$75,000.00

Cash: $75,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $75,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Oct 6, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 6, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101070037.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses15

For: 5
Against: 10
On: 0

Names

For

Dallas Criminal District Attorney John Creuzot1 registration
Self2 registrations
Texas Chapter American College of Physicians1 registration
Texas Medical Association1 registration

Against

Self7 registrations
Self; Texas Impact1 registration
Self; Texas Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministries2 registrations

Sources

15 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 22, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 1744

by Rep. Leach, different lead author · Did not pass · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Apr 26, 2023: Committee report sent to Calendars

Relating to the use of a high occupancy vehicle lane by an operator of a motor vehicle who is pregnant.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 28, 2025

05/08/2025 H Committee report sent to Calendars

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 6:51 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Transportation · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Companion

HB 427 by Cain (duplicate)

HB 2462 by Leach (duplicate)

Subjects

Highways

Vehicles & Traffic--Rules of Road

Women

HOV & EXCLUSIVE LANES

PREGNANCY & CHILDBIRTH

Text

The text as introduced · 121 words

89R1015 CS-D

By: Harris Davila
H.B. No. 3539

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the use of a high occupancy vehicle lane by an operator

of a motor vehicle who is pregnant.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter I, Chapter 545, Transportation Code,

is amended by adding Section 545.429 to read as follows:

Sec. 545.429. USE OF HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE LANE BY

PREGNANT OPERATOR. An operator of a motor vehicle who is pregnant

is entitled to use any high occupancy vehicle lane in this state

regardless of whether the vehicle is occupied by a passenger other

than the operator's unborn child.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.