AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- TIRE EFFICIENCY STANDARDS (Establishes efficiency standards for tires intended to increase efficiency and improve emissions standards.)

H7990

2026 -- H 7990
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LC005402
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- TIRE EFFICIENCY STANDARDS

Introduced By:
Representatives Handy, McGaw, Cortvriend, Kislak, Tanzi, Cruz, Potter,
and McNamara

Date Introduced:
February 27, 2026

Referred To:
House State Government & Elections
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Legislative findings.
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(a) The legislature finds that:
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(1) Replacement tires for passenger cars and light trucks are less energy efficient, on
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average, than tires installed as original equipment on new vehicles.
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(2) Independent testing of available tires has demonstrated that available technologies can
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cost-effectively improve replacement tire efficiency without compromising product longevity or
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safety.
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(3) Replacement tire efficiency standards will reduce gasoline and electricity waste, thus
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saving consumers and businesses money.
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(4) Such efficiency standards will reduce harmful air pollutant emissions that threaten
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public health, especially for overburdened communities near highways through reduced
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transportation-related air pollution.
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(5) Gasoline and electricity savings also reduce emissions that contribute to climate change.
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(6) Monetary savings resulting from more efficient replacement tires benefit all consumers,
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but are especially important to low-income families, who spend a disproportionate share of their
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income on fuel costs.
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(7) Efficiency standards also help the state and local economies because savings at the
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pump and on electric bills can be spent on local goods and services.
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(8) Electricity savings help reduce or delay the need for expensive investments in new

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power plants, transmission lines, and distribution system upgrades.
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SECTION 2. Title 31 of the General Laws entitled "MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES"
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is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
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CHAPTER 23.4
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TIRE EFFICIENCY STANDARDS
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31-23.4-1. Purpose.

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This chapter provides for the adoption of minimum efficiency standards for new
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replacement tires sold or installed in the state.
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31-23.4-2. Definitions.

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As used in the chapter:
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(1) “Compensation” means money or any other valuable thing, regardless of form, received
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or to be received by a person for services rendered.
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(2) "Department" means the department of transportation, division of motor vehicles.
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(3) "Light-duty truck" means any motor vehicle other than a passenger car with a gross
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vehicle weight rating not exceeding ten thousand pounds (10,000 lbs.).
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(4) “Passenger car" means any motor vehicle designed primarily for transportation of
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persons, having a design capacity of twelve (12) persons or less, with a gross vehicle weight rating
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not exceeding ten thousand pounds (10,000 lbs.).
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(5) “Person” means:
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(i) Any individual
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(ii) Any corporation, company, association, firm, partnership, society, trust, joint venture,
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or joint stock company.
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(6) "Replacement tire" means a tire sold or offered for sale in the state, except a tire sold:
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(i) At wholesale for final retail sale outside the state; or
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(ii)With a new passenger car or light-duty truck.
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(iii) "Rolling resistance coefficient" means the ratio of the rolling resistance force, in
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newtons, to the load on the tire in kilonewtons.
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(7) "Tire brand name owner" means a person, other than a tire manufacturer, who owns or
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has the right to control the brand name of a tire or a person who licenses another to purchase tires
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from a tire manufacturer bearing the licensor's brand name.
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(8) “Wet grip" means the capacity of a tire to maintain adhesion and provide braking
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performance on a wet paved surface.
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(9) "Tire manufacturer" means a person manufacturing or importing replacement tires for
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sale in the state.

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31-23.4-3. Standards.

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(a) Not later than eighteen (18) months after enactment of this chapter, the department shall
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adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of the chapter 35 of title 42 ("administrative
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procedures"), establishing energy efficiency standards for new replacement tires for passenger cars
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and light-duty trucks at levels that serve to promote energy conservation in the state and will be
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cost effective for consumers who purchase and use such new replacement tires;
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(1) Tire efficiency shall be tested in accordance with Section 575.106 of Title 49 of the
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Code of Federal Regulations (Tire fuel efficiency consumer information program), as in effect on
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the date of enactment of this chapter;
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(2) The department shall also adopt minimum requirements for wet grip performance, as
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tested in accordance with ISO 23671(2021) (“Passenger Car Tires - Method for Measuring Relative
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Wet Grip Braking Performance - Loaded New Tires,”) to ensure that wet grip is maintained or
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enhanced as tire efficiency improves;
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(3) The standards adopted by the department under this section may not adversely affect
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tire safety or tire longevity; and
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(4) The department shall consider and adopt separate standards or exemptions for specialty
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tires, such as dedicated winter-type snow tires, spare use tires, tires manufactured specifically for
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use in vehicles with three (3) or fewer wheels, and tires manufactured specifically for use in offroad
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recreational or agricultural motor vehicles.
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(b) The department may also adopt a rating system for the energy efficiency and wet grip
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of new replacement tires, considering rating systems adopted by other states.
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31-23.4-4. Implementation.

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(a) Twelve (12) months after the department adopts standards under § 31-23.4-3, no new
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replacement tire may be sold or offered for sale in the state unless it meets the requirements
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established by the department.
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(b) One year after the date upon which the sale or offering for sale of new replacement tires
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becomes subject to the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, no new replacement tire may
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be installed for compensation in the state unless the tire meets the requirements established by the
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department.
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(c) New replacement tires sold or offered for sale to state residents present in the state must
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meet the requirements established by the department regardless of the seller’s physical location,
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including, without limitation, any sales or offers to sell made through means other than in-person
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transactions, such as internet, telephone, or mail order communications.
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31-23.4-5. Revisions and future standards.

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(a) The department may adopt regulations, in accordance with the chapter 35 of title 42, to
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establish increased efficiency standards for new replacement tires. In considering such amended
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standards, the department shall set efficiency standards upon a determination that increased
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efficiency standards would serve to promote energy conservation in the state and would be cost
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effective for consumers who purchase and use such new products; provided that, no new or
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increased efficiency standards shall become effective within one year following the adoption of
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any amended regulations establishing such increased efficiency standards.
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(b) The department may also adopt regulations to establish increased wet grip standards
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for new replacement tires to ensure that wet grip is maintained or enhanced as tire efficiency
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improves.
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31-23.4-6. Testing, certification, labeling, and enforcement.

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(a) Tire manufacturers and tire brand name owners of new replacement tires covered by
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this chapter shall test samples of their products in accordance with the test procedures adopted
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pursuant to this chapter. The department may adopt updated test methods by regulation when
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improved test methods become available or when an alternative test method has been adopted by
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another state or the federal government.
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(b) Tire manufacturers of new replacement tires covered by this chapter shall certify to the
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department, or to an approved third-party database as determined by the department, that such tires
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are in compliance with the provisions of this chapter. The department shall promulgate regulations
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governing the certification of such tires and shall coordinate with the certification programs of other
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states with similar standards.
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(c) The department may require that energy efficiency and wet grip ratings, if established
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under § 31-23.4-3, be displayed to consumers at the physical or online point of sale.
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(d) The department may test new replacement tires covered by this chapter. If tires tested
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are found not to be in compliance with the standards established under § 31-23.4-3, the department
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shall:
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(1) Charge the manufacturer of such tires for the cost of product purchase and testing; and
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(2) Make information available to the attorney general and the public on tires found not to
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be in compliance with the standards.
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(e) The department may cause periodic inspections to be made of distributors or retailers
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of new replacement tires covered by this chapter in order to determine compliance with the
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provisions of this chapter. The department shall investigate complaints received concerning
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violations of this chapter.
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(f) If the department finds that any person has committed a violation of any provision of

LC005402 - Page 4 of 6
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this chapter, the department shall issue a warning to such person. Any person who commits a
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violation after the issuance of such warning shall be subject to a civil penalty, issued by the
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department, of up to one hundred dollars ($100) for each offense. Any further violations committed
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by such person after this second violation shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than five
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hundred dollars ($500) for each offense. Each new replacement tire offered, sold, or distributed in
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violation of § 31-23.4-4, shall constitute a separate violation, each violation shall constitute a
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separate offense, and each day that such violation occurs shall constitute a separate offense.
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Penalties assessed under this subsection are in addition to costs assessed under subsection (d) of
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this section.
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(g) If the department finds repeated violations have occurred, they shall report the results
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of such violations to the attorney general. The attorney general may institute proceedings to seek
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an injunction in court to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
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(h) The department may adopt such further regulations as necessary to ensure the proper
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implementation and enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.
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31-23.4-7. Severability.

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The provisions of this chapter shall be severable, and if the application of any clause,
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sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section, or part of this chapter shall be adjudged by any court of
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competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair, or invalidate the
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application of any other clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section, or part of this chapter.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- TIRE EFFICIENCY STANDARDS
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This act would establish efficiency standards for tires intended to increase efficiency and
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improve emissions standards.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC005402
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