Monitoring the Session

HB 4956

Isaac Polygraph Bill Gives Officers Until 2027 To Comply

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsReviewed
Rep. Carrie IsaacRHouse 73
Why it's charged
Delayed start

THE TEXT

“A peace officer is not required to comply with rules adopted under Section 1701.318, Occupations Code, as added by this Act, until January 1, 2027.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The law takes effect in September 2025, but the certification requirement does not bind any officer until January 2027, after the November 3, 2026 election. A phase-in for training is plausible, so confidence stays moderate.

Delayed start

Reviewed · Nov 1, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to requiring a certification for peace officers to conduct certain polygraph examinations.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Takes effect September 2025. The certification rule waits until after the November 2026 election.

The bill directs the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to write rules barring peace officers from giving polygraph tests for police hiring, criminal investigations, or post-conviction sex offender testing unless they finish an approved course and pass a state exam. It touches peace officers who run polygraphs, the agencies that use them, and the people who sit for those tests. Officers who pass get a state certification, must follow American Polygraph Association guidelines for sex offender tests, and do not have to comply until January 1, 2027.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4956 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Rep. Carrie IsaacRHouse 73

ITEM

relating to requiring a certification for peace officers to conduct certain polygraph examinations.

WHAT IT DOES

Takes effect September 2025. The certification rule waits until after the November 2026 election.

The bill directs the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to write rules barring peace officers from giving polygraph tests for police hiring, criminal investigations, or post-conviction sex offender testing unless they finish an approved course and pass a state exam. It touches peace officers who run polygraphs, the agencies that use them, and the people who sit for those tests. Officers who pass get a state certification, must follow American Polygraph Association guidelines for sex offender tests, and do not have to comply until January 1, 2027.

CHARGES

[x] DELAYED STARTanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

“A peace officer is not required to comply with rules adopted under Section 1701.318, Occupations Code, as added by this Act, until January 1, 2027.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The law takes effect in September 2025, but the certification requirement does not bind any officer until January 2027, after the November 3, 2026 election. A phase-in for training is plausible, so confidence stays moderate.

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 29, 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 Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Committee substitute considered in committee
  7. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Carrie Isaac

Donors

Jared Broderick$26,285American Fireworks$26KTexans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$20K

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 29, 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.

Jared Broderick$26,284.58
American Fireworks$26,000.00

American Fireworks

$26,000.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$26,000.00
Total
$26,000.00
fundraiser $26,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 4, 2025 to Jul 3, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 4, 2025 to Jul 3, 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: 101062888, 101069223.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$20,083.33

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$20,083.33

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$83.33
Total
$20,083.33
fundraiser $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 25, 2025 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: 101011492, 101062888, 101070788.

Money

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

×

American Fireworks

$26,000.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$26,000.00
Total
$26,000.00
fundraiser $26,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 4, 2025 to Jul 3, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 4, 2025 to Jul 3, 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: 101062888, 101069223.

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$20,083.33

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$83.33
Total
$20,083.33
fundraiser $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 25, 2025 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: 101011492, 101062888, 101070788.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 29, 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.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 13, 2025

04/30/2025 H Left pending in committee

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 3:12 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 2180 by Hagenbuch (identical)

Subjects

Criminal Procedure--General

Law Enforcement

Occupational Regulation--Other Trades & Professions

PEACE OFFICERS

POLYGRAPH EXAMINATIONS

LAW ENFORCEMENT, TEXAS COMMISSION ON

Text

The text as introduced · 307 words

89R13748 GP-F

By: Isaac
H.B. No. 4956

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring a certification for peace officers to conduct

certain polygraph examinations.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is

amended by adding Section 1701.318 to read as follows:

Sec. 1701.318. CERTIFICATION REQUIRED FOR PEACE OFFICERS TO

CONDUCT POLYGRAPH EXAMINATIONS. (a) The commission by rule may

establish minimum requirements for the training, testing, and

certification of peace officers to conduct polygraph examinations

for the purpose of:

(1) a preemployment examination of a candidate

applying for a position that requires a license under this chapter;

(2) a criminal investigation; or

(3) a post-conviction sex offender test.

(b) The commission shall adopt rules prohibiting a peace

officer from conducting a polygraph examination for a purpose

described by Subsection (a) unless the officer:

(1) completes a training course approved by the

commission; and

(2) passes an examination administered by the

commission that is designed to test the officer's knowledge of

investigative polygraphy.

(c) The commission shall issue a certification to conduct

polygraph examinations to a peace officer who applies for the

certification, completes the required training, and passes the

required examination.

(d) A peace officer holding a certification issued under

this section must conduct a test described by Subsection (a)(3) in

accordance with guidelines established by the American Polygraph

Association, or a successor entity.

SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date

of this Act, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement shall adopt

rules required by Section 1701.318, Occupations Code, as added by

this Act.

SECTION 3. A peace officer is not required to comply with

rules adopted under Section 1701.318, Occupations Code, as added by

this Act, until January 1, 2027.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.