BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 711
86R9266 AAF-F	By: Hinojosa
	Transportation
	4/11/2019
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

There are an unprecedented number of vehicles on Texas roads with open safety recalls. The largest recall in U.S. history involves unsafe and defective Takata airbags, which have been linked to numerous fatalities and serious injury accidents. Unfortunately, Texas ranks last in the nation in terms of vehicle owners taking these unsafe recalled vehicles to dealerships to get their recall repair work completed. Despite what are often many attempts to reach the owner of a recalled vehicle, many owners and motorists are often unaware that the vehicle they operate needs to have a recall repair performed.

To improve recall repair completion rates in Texas, motor vehicle safety inspections should be enhanced by adding a check of each vehicle inspected to determine whether that vehicle is the subject of an open recall. States that have chosen to include an open recall notification on their vehicle inspection reports have seen a significant increase in recall repairs being completed, thereby improving vehicle safety.

As proposed, S.B. 711 amends current law relating to allowing safety recall information to be included in a vehicle inspection report.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas in SECTION 1 (Section 548.252, Transportation Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 548.252, Transportation Code, by adding Subsection (c), as follows:

(c) Authorizes the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas to adopt rules providing for the inclusion on a vehicle inspection report for a vehicle inspected under this chapter (Compulsory Inspection of Vehicles) notification regarding whether the vehicle is subject to a safety recall for which the vehicle has not been repaired or the repairs are incomplete.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2019.