AUSTIN, Texas—For the second time since 2017, the Texas legislature has passed a bill prohibiting the installation of unsafe used tires on highway vehicles.
The bill, Texas Senate Bill 511, makes it illegal for sellers to install tires that have 1/16-inch tread or less; that have damage exposing steel belts or other internal components, or that have visible sidewall bulges or improper repairs.
"This is a common-sense bill that will save lives by mitigating one of the biggest causes of serious car crashes—unsafe tires," said State Sen. Jose Rodriguez, D-El Paso, sponsor of SB 511.
The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association, which drafted the model bill on which SB 511 was based, said it was pleased at the bill's May 23 passage.
"USTMA applauds the Texas legislature for taking this important step toward preventing high-risk used tires from jeopardizing the safety of motorists," said Anne Forristall Luke, USTMA president and CEO .
The bill will go to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature. However, Abbott vetoed a similar used tire bill in 2017 because he opposed its creation of a new crime.