Texas Senate voted to eliminate mandatory safety inspections

Annual vehicle inspections, you must get them in order to renew your car sticker.

“It's not much of a pain right now. it is when it doesn't pass,” said Keither Perkins, motorcyclist.

“I'm indifferent,” said Krystle Copolus.

Thursday, the Texas Senate voted to eliminate Texas' mandatory safety inspections.

Drivers would just go to the tax office to renew registration. For drivers, it's a mixed bag, but for businesses like Top Gunn, it can have a huge effect. “It would definitely hurt us quite a bit,” said Trey Davis, manager at Top Gunn Equipment Rental.

At their south location, Topp Gunn does inspections. and for them it's very lucrative.

“State inspections make up about forty percent of our revenue at the South location,” said Davis.

The Travis County Tax Office say they would not lose any money, since they would still get money from vehicle registration fees. But for Davis, he says not only would money be a problem but customer safety, and environmental factors.

“You got a lot of people who are driving their vehicles that are definitely not safe, tires are bad, wipers are bad, and people are not aware of the situation and will continue to drive the vehicle,” said Davis.

Other states like California and Florida have already done away with inspections. If SB 1588 passes, commercial vehicles would still have to get inspections. The bill has now moved to the House.