6/27/05-SB175 has died. However, a similar bill – HB364 – has been signed into law.

2/16/05-A bill sponsored by Sen. Kim Brimer, R-Fort Worth, would outlaw the possession of devices that can change some traffic signals from red to green.
A traffic-light changer is designed to allow police, fire and other emergency officials to clear intersections before they approach.
SB175 is intended to deter anyone other than public safety and transit agencies from possessing so-called mobile infrared transmitters, or MIRTs.
The proposal calls for violators to face up to a $2,000 fine and/or up to six months in jail.
The devices, which sit on a vehicle’s dash, are not regulated by current federal standards because they rely on a beam of light instead of a radio wave to trigger the light-changing mechanisms that have been attached to some intersections.
For bill status, call (512) 463-2182. In Texas, call 1-877-824-7038.
An identical House bill – HB190 – is in the House Transportation Committee.