[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.
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