TRENTON, N.J. (Sept. 12, 2016) — The New Jersey Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee has approved a bill supported by the Rubber Manufacturers Association that would forbid the sale of unsafe used tires in the state.
Sponsored by Assemblywoman Shavonda E. Sumter, D-35th District (Bergen and Passaic), Assembly Bill 3896 was passed by a 5-0 vote at a Sept. 8 hearing of the Consumer Affairs Committee. The RMA, the New Jersey Gasoline Automotive Association and the New Jersey Civil Justice Institute testified in favor of the bill at the hearing.
AB 3896 is the model bill the RMA has advanced in other jurisdictions over the past few years. It would forbid the sale of any used tire that:
- Has a tread depth of less than 1/16th inch in any groove;
- Has any damage exposing the reinforcing plies of a tire;
- Has any improper repairs, including but not limited to any repair in the sidewall, bead, tread shoulder or belt edge area or any puncture larger than ¼ inch or not sealed and patched on the inside;
- Shows evidence of temporary sealant use without a proper repair;
- Has a defaced or missing tire identification number;
- Has inner liner or bead damage; or
- Has bulges or other indicators of internal separation.
