BOWIE, Md. (June 14, 2012)—In an effort to soften the effects of potentially devastating legislation, the Tire Industry Association has submitted amendments to the New York State Senate to modify a bill that would outlaw improper tire repairs.
The tire repair bill, which was drafted and supported by the Rubber Manufacturers Association, would impose a $500-per-violation penalty on tire repair shops that fail to follow established repair procedures. That legislation passed the New York Senate Transportation Committee June 8.
In lieu of the original bill's language that sets forth step-by-step requirements for tire repair, the TIA amendments would outlaw only specific violations: failure to demount a tire from the rim before repairing it; installing a patch without a plug; repairing damage to a tire shoulder or sidewall; or repairing a tire that had already been improperly repaired.
TIA officials devised and submitted these amendments after a special conference call with the association's board of directors.
Meetings with RMA officials and executives of major tire companies made it obvious that tire manufacturers will continue to support tire repair legislation in state legislatures across the U.S., according to Roy Littlefield, TIA executive vice president.
“We determined that the best approach for the industry would be to propose legislation that targets the minority of service providers who are the source of the problem,” Mr. Littlefield said. “TIA could have ignored the problem by just opposing the bill, but the board decided to take a more proactive approach and propose a solution.”
The New York Assembly has yet to act on the bill, and the legislature adjourns June 21.