| 4 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 5 | 7 | | relating to the installation of unsafe motor vehicle tires; |
|---|
| 6 | 8 | | providing a civil penalty. |
|---|
| 7 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 8 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 547.001, Transportation Code, is amended |
|---|
| 9 | 11 | | by adding Subdivision (9-a) to read as follows: |
|---|
| 10 | 12 | | (9-a) "Unsafe tire" means a tire that: |
|---|
| 11 | 13 | | (A) has tire tread less than one-sixteenth of an |
|---|
| 12 | 14 | | inch deep; |
|---|
| 13 | 15 | | (B) has a localized worn spot that exposes the |
|---|
| 14 | 16 | | ply or cord through the tread; |
|---|
| 15 | 17 | | (C) has a tread or sidewall crack, cut, or snag as |
|---|
| 16 | 18 | | measured on the outside of the tire that is more than an inch long |
|---|
| 17 | 19 | | and deep enough to expose the body cords; |
|---|
| 18 | 20 | | (D) has any visible bump, bulge, or knot |
|---|
| 19 | 21 | | apparently related to tread or sidewall separation or partial |
|---|
| 20 | 22 | | failure of the tire structure, including the bead area; |
|---|
| 21 | 23 | | (E) has been repaired temporarily by the use of a |
|---|
| 22 | 24 | | blowout patch or boot; |
|---|
| 23 | 25 | | (F) has worn tread wear indicators that contact |
|---|
| 24 | 26 | | the road in any two adjacent major grooves in the center or middle |
|---|
| 25 | 27 | | of the tire; or |
|---|
| 26 | 28 | | (G) does not otherwise meet applicable |
|---|
| 27 | 29 | | department safety standards for the tire adopted under Section |
|---|
| 28 | 30 | | 547.101. |
|---|
| 29 | 31 | | SECTION 2. Section 547.612, Transportation Code, is amended |
|---|
| 30 | 32 | | by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows: |
|---|
| 31 | 33 | | (f) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, a |
|---|
| 32 | 34 | | person who owns or operates a business that installs tires on motor |
|---|
| 33 | 35 | | vehicles or an employee of the person may not knowingly install an |
|---|
| 34 | 36 | | unsafe tire on a motor vehicle to be used on a public street or |
|---|
| 35 | 37 | | highway. A person who violates this subsection is liable to this |
|---|
| 36 | 38 | | state for a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $500. This |
|---|
| 37 | 39 | | subsection does not apply to the reinstallation of a tire on a motor |
|---|
| 38 | 40 | | vehicle that had been removed from the motor vehicle. Section |
|---|
| 39 | 41 | | 542.301 does not apply to a violation of this subsection. |
|---|
| 40 | 42 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
|---|
| 41 | | - | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
|---|
| 42 | | - | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
|---|
| 43 | | - | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 511 passed the Senate on |
|---|
| 44 | | - | April 29, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 23, Nays 8. |
|---|
| 45 | | - | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 46 | | - | Secretary of the Senate |
|---|
| 47 | | - | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 511 passed the House on |
|---|
| 48 | | - | May 22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 79, Nays 64, two |
|---|
| 49 | | - | present not voting. |
|---|
| 50 | | - | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 51 | | - | Chief Clerk of the House |
|---|
| 52 | | - | Approved: |
|---|
| 53 | | - | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 54 | | - | Date |
|---|
| 55 | | - | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 56 | | - | Governor |
|---|