President Trump: Pardon Bexar County Drivers. Set Them Free Before November 1
The Issue
My name is John. I live in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. My family owns three vehicles, every one more than 10 years old, and every one of them has a check engine light on right now. On November 1, 2026, a mandatory emissions test takes effect in our county, and a check engine light will mean an automatic failure. My family can absorb the repair bills that will follow. Many of Bexar County's drivers cannot.
They are already saying so. When local news covered the mandate this week, Bexar County residents responded in their own words:
“My catalytic converter is bad at 153k miles on my 2013 Toyota due to a hard to replace pcv valve that was causing oil to contaminate the catalyst. Cost to replace with OEM parts: $1200+... P0420 code keeps coming back.”
-- Nathan, Bexar County
“Gonna hurt alot of people who will not be able to afford to fix the problem and who are barely making ends meet... we need our vehicles to go and come from work... I am one of those individuals who will not be able to afford to fix if there is a problem and doesn't pass the emissions test.”
-- Diana, Bexar County
“Higher our pay rate so we can afford all this, rent, groceries, gas, insurance, etc... goes on and on... so unfair.”
-- Debbie, Bexar County
Here is the Financial Burden these families will face. A $28.50 test every year. If the vehicle fails, repairs averaging $1,500, and $2,500 or more for trucks and SUVs. A catalytic converter alone runs $1,000 to $4,000. The only waiver requires spending $600 first and still failing. There is no repair assistance program in Bexar County. More than 1.3 million registered drivers live here, and the mandate applies to the majority of vehicles on the road. Meanwhile, 73 to 78 percent of our ozone comes from outside our region, from sources no Bexar County driver can control.
On July 3, President Trump pardoned six people convicted under the Clean Air Act and wrote, “I AM SETTING THEM ALL FREE, RIGHT NOW!” Those defendants were at least accused of something. Bexar County's drivers are accused of nothing.
We ask President Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to extend the same relief to Bexar County: grant Section 179B relief or stay the November 1 mandate before it takes effect.
Pardon Bexar County drivers. Set them free now.
John
Bexar County constituent
236
The Issue
My name is John. I live in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. My family owns three vehicles, every one more than 10 years old, and every one of them has a check engine light on right now. On November 1, 2026, a mandatory emissions test takes effect in our county, and a check engine light will mean an automatic failure. My family can absorb the repair bills that will follow. Many of Bexar County's drivers cannot.
They are already saying so. When local news covered the mandate this week, Bexar County residents responded in their own words:
“My catalytic converter is bad at 153k miles on my 2013 Toyota due to a hard to replace pcv valve that was causing oil to contaminate the catalyst. Cost to replace with OEM parts: $1200+... P0420 code keeps coming back.”
-- Nathan, Bexar County
“Gonna hurt alot of people who will not be able to afford to fix the problem and who are barely making ends meet... we need our vehicles to go and come from work... I am one of those individuals who will not be able to afford to fix if there is a problem and doesn't pass the emissions test.”
-- Diana, Bexar County
“Higher our pay rate so we can afford all this, rent, groceries, gas, insurance, etc... goes on and on... so unfair.”
-- Debbie, Bexar County
Here is the Financial Burden these families will face. A $28.50 test every year. If the vehicle fails, repairs averaging $1,500, and $2,500 or more for trucks and SUVs. A catalytic converter alone runs $1,000 to $4,000. The only waiver requires spending $600 first and still failing. There is no repair assistance program in Bexar County. More than 1.3 million registered drivers live here, and the mandate applies to the majority of vehicles on the road. Meanwhile, 73 to 78 percent of our ozone comes from outside our region, from sources no Bexar County driver can control.
On July 3, President Trump pardoned six people convicted under the Clean Air Act and wrote, “I AM SETTING THEM ALL FREE, RIGHT NOW!” Those defendants were at least accused of something. Bexar County's drivers are accused of nothing.
We ask President Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to extend the same relief to Bexar County: grant Section 179B relief or stay the November 1 mandate before it takes effect.
Pardon Bexar County drivers. Set them free now.
John
Bexar County constituent
The Decision Makers
Supporter Voices
Petition Updates
Share this petition
Petition created on July 4, 2026