The Tire Industry Association (TIA) recently updated where a variety of legislative issues that impact the tire industry stand.
* Tire aging: "Initially, I think a lot of us viewed this as something that was going to go away," says says Paul Fiore, TIA's director of government and business relations.
"Tire manufacturers are starting to come out with recommendations. I think we'll see more tire and auto manufacturers come out with recommendations.
"TIA will be there in negotiations on Capitol Hill if it comes down to that."
* Lead wheel weights: "Lead has been on the Environmental Protection Agency's radar for a long time," says Fiore. "There is no question they want to take it out of the environment.
"We got the EPA to initially back off on (its) calls for a ban on lead wheel weights."
However, the European Union has banned lead weights, "and there is (still) a push to eliminate (lead) weights" in the U.S.
* Association health plans: "This would bring back the benefit we had... of fairly affordable health insurance."
Legislation has been passed through the House "at least five times. Once again, we're stalled in the Senate."
* Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act: "This will have a tremendous benefit if it ever becomes law," says Fiore.
The bill has already passed the House of Representatives.
