Monitoring the Session

HB 4955

bill allowing pulsing third brake lights

Did not pass

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Jared PattersonRHouse 106

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 lighting equipment requirements for motor vehicles.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Up to four pulses, two seconds max, never off.

The bill says a third brake light, the high-mounted one, still counts as meeting federal standards if it pulses in brightness up to four times when the driver brakes. The light can never shut off, and the pulsing can last no more than two seconds. Drivers and sellers of pulsing third brake lights would be treated as compliant under Texas equipment rules starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 1415 by Rep. Raymond (Died in committee). 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: 104 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 104 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).

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4955 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Rep. Jared PattersonRHouse 106

ITEM

relating to lighting equipment requirements for motor vehicles.

WHAT IT DOES

Up to four pulses, two seconds max, never off.

The bill says a third brake light, the high-mounted one, still counts as meeting federal standards if it pulses in brightness up to four times when the driver brakes. The light can never shut off, and the pulsing can last no more than two seconds. Drivers and sellers of pulsing third brake lights would be treated as compliant under Texas equipment rules starting September 1, 2025.

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 · May 7, 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

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Transportation
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in formal meeting
  9. Recommended to be sent to Local & Consent
  10. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  11. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  12. Committee report distributed
  13. Comm. report sent to Local & Consent Calendar
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Jared Patterson

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$133KTexas Sands PAC$85KTexas Conservative Majority PAC$58K

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 28, 2024 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$132,750.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$132,750.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$32,750.00
Total
$132,750.00
polling $32,750.00

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 25, 2025 to Oct 7, 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: 100996442, 101018590, 101035748, 101067950, 101072483.

Texas Sands PAC$84,800.00

Texas Sands PAC

$84,800.00

Cash
$68,000.00
Paid by others
$16,800.00
Total
$84,800.00
polling $16,800.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 4, 2024 to Oct 15, 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: 100976997, 101018590, 101035748, 101072483.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$57,950.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$57,950.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$57,950.00
Total
$57,950.00
canvassing $35,000.00polling $22,950.00

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 · Feb 12, 2026 to Sep 22, 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: 101035748, 101067950.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$132,750.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$32,750.00
Total
$132,750.00
polling $32,750.00

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 25, 2025 to Oct 7, 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: 100996442, 101018590, 101035748, 101067950, 101072483.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$84,800.00

Cash
$68,000.00
Paid by others
$16,800.00
Total
$84,800.00
polling $16,800.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 4, 2024 to Oct 15, 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: 100976997, 101018590, 101035748, 101072483.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$57,950.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$57,950.00
Total
$57,950.00
canvassing $35,000.00polling $22,950.00

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 · Feb 12, 2026 to Sep 22, 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: 101035748, 101067950.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses3
For
3
Against
0
On
0
Names

For

  • Self2 registrations
  • Self; Sbt Distributors LLC1 registration
Sources

3 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 · May 7, 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 1415

by Rep. Raymond, different lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Apr 19, 2023: Referred to Transportation

Relating to lighting equipment requirements for motor vehicles.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 13, 2025

05/21/2025 H Comm. report sent to Local & Consent Calendar

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Transportation · Committee vote 10 aye, 0 nay, 3 absent · Out of committee

Companion

SB 1493 by Parker (identical)

Subjects

Vehicles & Traffic--Equipment

Vehicles & Traffic--Rules of Road

LIGHTING

Text

The text as introduced · 104 words

89R184 DRS-F

By: Patterson
H.B. No. 4955

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to lighting equipment requirements for motor vehicles.

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

SECTION 1. Section 547.323, Transportation Code, is amended

by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:

(g) For purposes of Section 547.3215, a high-mounted

stoplamp is considered to comply with the current federal standards

in 49 C.F.R. Section 571.108 if the stoplamp varies in intensity

four or fewer times but never deactivates when the vehicle brakes

for not more than two seconds.

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