Rinaldi was rated the number one conservative in the Texas House by a Rice University study that drew on the 1,138 non-lopsided roll call votes taken during the 2015 regular session. He received a 100 percent rating which tied him in the number one spot on the Texans for Fiscal Responsibility index with seven other conservative members. He was also the top-rated Representative by the Texas Eagle Forum with a 98% rating. Rinaldi had a 100 percent record on the Texas Right to Life scorecard and was designated by the organization as one of 14 "Pro-life Heroes" in the legislature for his work in passing pro-life legislation. During the 85th legislative session, Rinaldi served on the Agriculture & Livestock committee and the Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence committee. Rinaldi was, according to the "Dallas Morning News", "instrumental in strengthening the punishments in the sanctuary cities ban," and authored and passed into law measures that: remove from office public officials who adopt sanctuary city policies, require government contractors and subcontractors to use e-verify, revoke pensions of teachers convicted of committing sex crimes against students, allow churches to utilize volunteers to provide security services without risking heavy fines, and prohibit any taxpayer money from going to Planned Parenthood. He also re-introduced legislation he had previously proposed to end the Robin Hood school finance system. He served as the Pro-Life Whip for Texas Right to Life. Rinaldi also co-founded the Texas Freedom Caucus during the 85th legislative session. The caucus was founded by members of the House of Representatives committed to protecting life, strengthening family values, defending the Texas and U.S. Bill of Rights, restraining government and revitalizing personal and economic freedoms. In May 2017, Rinaldi called Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers on protesters inside the Capitol building. Rinaldi claimed that he called ICE after seeing individuals holding protest signs indicating they were illegal immigrants. An altercation ensued; according to multiple Hispanic Democratic lawmakers, Rinaldi got into their faces during the dispute and cursed at them. Video shot from the House floor showed both Republicans and Democrats pushing each other. Rinaldi claimed that Representative Poncho Nevárez threatened his life during the incident, which Nevárez denied. Democratic lawmaker Justin Rodriguez claimed that Rinaldi threatened to "put a bullet in one of my colleagues’ heads"; Rinaldi did not deny making the statement, but claimed it was made in self defense. Rinaldi’s actions were widely seen as having a racial motivation.