Following the Florida Senate Agriculture Committee’s passage of SB 1588, a bill to prohibit the sale of unsafe used tires, legislators in Texas will meet next week to move on similar legislation there, SB 459.
On April 16, 2013, the Rubber Manufacturers Association’s (RMA) Tracey Norberg, senior vice president and general counsel, will testify at the Texas House in favor of SB 459.
The RMA says the Florida bill unanimously passed the Commerce & Tourism and Agriculture committees. It also has been referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee and should it pass there, it will be eligible for consideration by the full Senate.
In the Florida House, HB 485, a companion to SB 1588, will likely be considered by the House Regulatory Affairs Committee next week. It has already been passed unanimously by a subcommittee.
In Texas, SB 459, which was passed last week by the Texas Senate Transportation Committee is now eligible for consideration by the full Senate and may be considered as soon as this week.
“Both bills define what a used tire is and describe a number of conditions that most everyone in the industry would agree make a tire unsafe,” says Dan Zielinski, RMA’s senior vice president of public affairs.
“If it’s worn out, has damage or is improperly repaired; these are all items that can be spotted visually. We tried to make it common sense.”
Zielinski says that RMA’s position is that consumers should be cautious about buying any used tire because the history of the tire is not known.
“This legislation is not designed to ban all used tire sales, it is designed to ban ones that are clearly unsafe,” says Zielinski.
The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has a similar position.
“Our board of directors supports unsafe used tire legislation and we have not heard from any members who do not agree with our position on the matter,” says TIA Senior Vice President of Training Kevin Rohlwing.
“This legislation is not a concern for the membership simply because the TIA members who sell used tires would not knowingly sell or install a tire with an unsafe condition.”
For more on the subject see:
30 people weigh in on proposed used tire ban
Will selling used tires become illegal?!
RMA supports ban of 'unsafe' used tires
Stay tuned to Modern Tire Dealer as this story unfolds, and let us know what you think by posting a comment!
