For more information about what the government is doing to automobile enthusiasts, check the Specialty Equipment Market Association Action Network. All news here is digested from the SAN articles.

Emissions Testing for Older Cars
Scrappage Regulations
Homebuilt Cars
CHP Exhaust Regulations

Emissions Testing for Older Cars

As predicted, legislation has been introduced in the California Senate to repeal the state’s current rolling emissions test exemption for vehicles 30 years old and older. S.B. 1172 repeals the current pro-hobbyist exemption and replaces it with a static exemption for pre-1974 vehicles. S.B. 800 repeals the current exemption and replaces it with a static exemption for pre-1975 vehicles.

However, S.B. 800 was introduced by Sen. Maurice Johannessen (a long-time friend of the hobby) and we believe strongly that this bill will be amended to remove the repeal language. At this point, we do not believe that S.B. 800 poses a threat to the hobby. Therefore, We Urge You to Contact Your State Senators Immediately to Oppose S.B. 1172

Existing law in California exempts all pre-1974 vehicles from emissions testing until 2003. After 2003, vehicles 30-years old and older will be exempt from emissions testing. California’s current emissions testing exemption recognizes the minimal impact of vehicles 30-years old and older on vehicle emissions and air quality.

Vehicles 30-years old and older constitute a small portion of the overall vehicle population (currently less than 3% of the over 23 million vehicles in California) and are a poor source from which to look for emissions reduction.

Contact your state senators to oppose S.B. 1172. To find out who your state senators are, contact the California Senate general information line at 916/445-4311. This information can also be accessed via the Internet at www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

Scrappage Regulations

California Air Resources Board Ignores Statutory Law; SEMA Opposes Agency's Action

Washington, D.C. In response to the California Air Resources Board's (CARB's) enforcement of the latest scrappage regulations, SEMA and California SEMA Action Network (SAN) member organizations attacked the agency for violating the law. CARB insisted that all scrapped vehicles and parts must be completely destroyed.

"SEMA stands behind the law," stated Chris Kersting, SEMA VP, government and technical affairs. "We believe the requirement for destruction of program vehicles and all component parts is a direct violation of statutory language which protects vehicles and parts for members of the public. If CARB has its way, upward of 150,000 vehicles a year will be destroyed in the next 10 years to meet emission-reduction goals."

California Bill to Protect Homebuilt Cars, Effort to Repeal 30 Year Rolling Emission Exemption Fails

After months of legislative wrangling, a pro-hobbyist bill (S.B. 1811), sponsored by Senator Maurice Johannessen (R) that provides for emissions certification and model-year designation of specially constructed vehicles, including homebuilt and kit cars, passed the California Legislature, but was vetoed by Governor Gray Davis

As introduced, S.B. 1811 was intended to help California hobbyists by allowing special license plates for homebuilt cars and to exempt both homebuilts and collector cars from California’s Smog Check program requirements. However, somewhere along the way, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) got their hands on this bill and were able to transform S.B 1811 into a remarkably anti-hobbyist measure. CARB, disappointed by the fact that Smog Check is missing promised emissions reductions by about 40%, managed to have the bill amended to repeal the rolling Smog Check exemption in California for cars 30-years old and older and replace it with a static exemption for pre-1975 vehicles.

The combined efforts of SEMA Action Network members, SEMA member companies and the SEMA government relations team managed to restore the 30-year rolling emissions exemption only to have California Governor Gray Davis veto the measure. Governor Davis claimed that allowing special emissions treatment for homebuilt vehicles would "slow the states progress toward clean air."