Idaho becomes 41st state to make it illegal to knowingly manufacture, import, distribute, sell, lease or install counterfeit or nonfunctional air bags
Boise—Idaho Governor Brad Little signed legislation into law on March 20 that regulates air bag systems. It repeals an existing law and enacts a new one to establish prohibited acts and penalties related to air bags and air bag systems in motor vehicles. Counterfeit air bags are considered a significant public safety hazard.
Key aspects
• The law makes it illegal for anyone to knowingly manufacture, import, distribute, sell, lease, or install counterfeit or nonfunctional air bags, or any object that replaces a safety component and fails to meet federal motor vehicle safety standards.
• It also prohibits selling or leasing a vehicle with such noncompliant systems or installing parts that prevent a vehicle’s diagnostic system from warning the operator about a faulty or missing air bag.
A violation of these provisions is considered a misdemeanor, and the law defines key terms like “air bag,” “automobile supplemental restraint system” (a passive crash protection system designed to work with seat belts), and “counterfeit automobile supplemental restraint system component” (an unauthorized replica of a manufacturer’s part).
The law also clarifies what constitutes a “nonfunctional air bag,” generally including deployed or damaged ones, those with detected faults, or those that are counterfeit, but with specific exceptions for certain situations involving totaled vehicles.
The new law will take effect on July 1, 2026, due to an declared emergency. Wisconsin signed a similar bill into law earlier this month.
Comments are closed.