[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1741 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1741
To establish tire fuel efficiency minimum performance standards,
improve tire registration, help consumers identify recalled tires, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 9, 2015
Mr. Graham (for himself, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. Brown) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish tire fuel efficiency minimum performance standards,
improve tire registration, help consumers identify recalled tires, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Tire Efficiency, Safety, and
Registration Act of 2015'' or the ``TESR Act''.
SEC. 2. TIRE FUEL EFFICIENCY MINIMUM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Section 32304A of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by inserting ``and standards''
after ``consumer tire information'';
(2) in subsection (a)--
(A) in the heading, by striking ``Rulemaking'' and
inserting ``Consumer Tire Information''; and
(B) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``(referred to
in this section as the `Secretary')'' after ``Secretary
of Transportation'';
(3) by redesignating subsections (b) through (e) as
subsections (e) though (h), respectively; and
(4) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
``(b) Promulgation of Regulations for Tire Fuel Efficiency Minimum
Performance Standards.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, after consultation with
the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency, shall promulgate regulations
for tire fuel efficiency minimum performance standards for--
``(A) passenger car tires with a maximum speed
capability equal to or less than 149 miles per hour or
240 kilometers per hour; and
``(B) passenger car tires with a maximum speed
capability greater than 149 miles per hour or 240
kilometers per hour.
``(2) Tire fuel efficiency minimum performance standards.--
``(A) Standard basis and test procedures.--The
minimum performance standards promulgated under
paragraph (1) shall be expressed in terms of the
rolling resistance coefficient measured using the test
procedure specified in section 575.106 of title 49,
Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date
of enactment of this Act).
``(B) No disparate effect on high performance
tires.--The Secretary shall ensure that the minimum
performance standards promulgated under paragraph (1)
will not have a disproportionate effect on passenger
car high performance tires with a maximum speed
capability greater than 149 miles per hour or 240
kilometers per hour.
``(C) Applicability.--
``(i) In general.--This subsection applies
to new pneumatic tires for use on passenger
cars.
``(ii) Exceptions.--This subsection does
not apply to light truck tires, deep tread
tires, winter-type snow tires, space-saver or
temporary use spare tires, or tires with
nominal rim diameters of 12 inches or less.
``(c) Promulgation of Regulations for Tire Wet Traction Minimum
Performance Standards.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall promulgate
regulations for tire wet traction minimum performance standards
to ensure that passenger tire wet traction capability is not
reduced to achieve improved tire fuel efficiency.
``(2) Tire wet traction minimum performance standards.--
``(A) Basis of standard.--The minimum performance
standards promulgated under paragraph (1) shall be
expressed in terms of peak coefficient of friction.
``(B) Test procedures.--Any test procedure
promulgated under this subsection shall be consistent
with any test procedure promulgated under subsection
(a).
``(C) Benchmarking.--The Secretary shall conduct
testing to benchmark the wet traction performance of
tire models available for sale in the United States as
of the date of enactment of this Act to ensure that the
minimum performance standards promulgated under
paragraph (1) are tailored to--
``(i) tires sold in the United States; and
``(ii) the needs of consumers in the United
States.
``(D) Applicability.--
``(i) In general.--This subsection applies
to new pneumatic tires for use on passenger
cars.
``(ii) Exceptions.--This subsection does
not apply to light truck tires, deep tread
tires, winter-type snow tires, space-saver or
temporary use spare tires, or tires with
nominal rim diameters of 12 inches or less.
``(d) Coordination Among Regulations.--
``(1) Compatibility.--The Secretary shall ensure that the
test procedures and requirements promulgated under subsections
(a), (b), and (c) are compatible and consistent.
``(2) Combined effect of rules.--The Secretary shall
evaluate the regulations promulgated under subsections (b) and
(c) to ensure that compliance with the minimum performance
standards promulgated under subsection (b) will not diminish
wet traction performance of affected tires.
``(3) Rulemaking deadlines.--The Secretary shall promulgate
--
``(A) the regulations under subsections (b) and (c)
not later than 24 months after the date of enactment of
this Act; and
``(B) the regulations under subsection (c) not
later than the date of promulgation of the regulations
under subsection (b).''.
SEC. 3. TIRE REGISTRATION BY INDEPENDENT SELLERS.
Section 30117(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by
striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
``(3) Rulemaking.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall initiate a
rulemaking to require a distributor or dealer of tires
that is not owned or controlled by a manufacturer of
tires to maintain records of--
``(i) the name and address of tire
purchasers and lessors and information
identifying the tire that was purchased or
leased; and
``(ii) any additional records the Secretary
considers appropriate.
``(B) Electronic transmission.--The rulemaking
carried out under subparagraph (A) shall require a
distributor or dealer of tires that is not owned or
controlled by a manufacturer of tires to electronically
transmit the records described in clauses (i) and (ii)
of subparagraph (A) to the manufacturer of the tires or
the designee of the manufacturer by secure means at no
cost to tire purchasers or lessors.
``(C) Satisfaction of requirements.--A regulation
promulgated under subparagraph (A) may be considered to
satisfy the requirements of paragraph (2)(B).''.
SEC. 4. TIRE RECALL DATABASE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall establish a
publicly available and searchable electronic database of tire recall
information that is reported to the Administrator of the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
(b) Tire Identification Number.--The database established under
subsection (a) shall be searchable by Tire Identification Number (TIN)
and any other criteria that assists consumers in determining whether a
tire is subject to a recall.
<all>