“Before a new licensing scheme is enacted, a more comprehensive review is needed,” Gov. Brown said.
AB 1665 would have imposed a state-mandated TPMS program enforced by the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR). The agency would have inspected all tire shops annually to ensure compliance, and customers would have been able to call one number — prominently displayed in each shop — to report unfair charges or other complaints.
The annual license fee under AB 1665 would have been $200.
Les Schwab Tire Centers Inc. and the California Tire Dealers Association (CTDA) were co-sponsors of the bill. According to the CTDA, AB 1665 would have leveled the playing field for all tire retailers, including those operating as “tire sales only” shops that aren't regulated by the BAR.
The California Legislature passed the legislation — which proponents claim will improve automotive safety, protect consumers from “unscrupulous” tire dealers and increase fuel economy — in mid-August with overwhelming bipartisan support.
AB 1665 requires all tire dealers to be capable of diagnosing and servicing tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), strengthens state oversight of tire dealer and repair shops and provides new recourse for consumers who've been wronged, according to a statement issued by the bill's sponsors, Assemblyman Brian Jones, R-Santee, and Senator Ted Lieu, D-Redondo Beach.