I think the issue here is the law states that you have to have red reflectors on the back of your car. Which he clearly does, so the tinted tail lights really have nothing to do with it.
Are the lights less bright? Probably, but last time I checked there isn’t a law measuring the luminous intensity of your taillights.
Edit: I’m wrong, there is a maximum brightness!
- All lights, signals and reflectors shall be of a type and design
approved by the commissioner. No light having a candlepower rating in
excess of thirty-two candle power shall be used on any vehicle, unless
it is of a type approved by the commissioner. The provisions of section
three hundred seventy-five of this chapter governing the approval of
equipment and the adjustment of headlamps shall apply to the equipment
and headlamps required by this section. The commissioner is hereby
authorized and empowered to adopt and from time to time amend such
regulations not inconsistent with this section, governing the size,
type, construction, location, and use of lights, signals and reflectors,
including the exemption of specific vehicles from the requirements of
this section where the construction of such vehicles makes compliance
herewith impracticable, or impossible.