Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §1917, sub-§1, śC is enacted to read:

C.__"Snow tire" means a tire with deep tread to give traction in snow that contains on at least one sidewall of the tire a permanent label including the words "mud" and "snow" or an abbreviation using the letters "M" and "S."

Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §1917, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2003, c. 146, §1, is further amended to read:

2. Safe tires required. A motor vehicle may not be operated on a public way unless it is equipped with tires in safe operating condition. A tire mounted on a motor vehicle is not considered to be in safe operating condition unless it meets the visual and tread depth requirements set forth in subsections 3 and 4 and the wheel size requirements in subsection 6. A vehicle may be equipped only with tires that meet or exceed the load and speed rating of the manufacturer's original equipment tires specifications, except as follows.

A.__A vehicle may be equipped with tires that do not meet the speed rating of the original equipment tires if the tires were purchased on or before September 13, 2003.

B.__A vehicle may be equipped with snow tires that do not meet the speed rating of the original equipment tires.

SUMMARY

This bill exempts motor vehicle tires purchased on or before September 13, 2003 and motor vehicle snow tires from speed rating requirements.