SACRAMENTO, Calif. (July 8, 2009) — A California Senate committee has postponed a hearing on a controversial tire aging bill until July 13.
The committee was scheduled to hear testimony July 6 on AB 496, but discussions on California's budget crisis eclipsed the tire aging issue, according to Ejnar Fink-Jensen, executive director of the California Tire Dealers Association—North.
AB 496 would require tire dealers to disclose all tire age information to consumers on sales contracts or face a $250 penalty per violation. However, the current language in the bill exempts from the requirement car dealers in California who sell replacement tires.
Fink-Jensen said three representatives from the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) and Terry Leveille, who lobbies for the California association and its sister group, the California Tire Dealers Association—South, were scheduled to testify at the hearing.
He added that the day proved to be “futile” as the parties involved were not told of the hearing's cancellation until 4:30 p.m.