URGENT LEGISLATIVE ALERT Legislation to Repeal Old Car Emissions Exemption Introduced AGAIN in California Senate As predicted, legislation has been reintroduced in the California Senate to repeal the state's current rolling emissions test exemption for vehicles 30 years old and older. S.B. 708 repeals the current pro-hobbyist exemption and replaces it with an exemption for vehicles that are 45 or more model years old commencing January 1, 2005. We Urge You to Contact Your State Senators Immediately to Oppose S.B. 708 Existing law in California exempts all pre-1974 vehicles from emissions testing until 2003. After 2003, vehicles 30-years old and older are 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 and are a poor source from which to look for emissions reduction. Antique and classic vehicles are overwhelmingly well-maintained and infrequently driven (about one-third the miles each year as a new vehicle). Legislators and regulators are feeling the heat from a failed effort to meet air quality goals and are looking for a convenient scapegoat. The old car hobby should not carry the burden of their mistakes! Contact your state senators to oppose S.B. 708. 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 <http://www.enjoythedrive.com/legislative/contact_legislator.asp> or by calling the SEMA Washington, DC office at 202-783-6007 ext. 39. Please fax a copy of your letters to us at 202/783-6024 or mail to: SEMA Washington Office 1317 F St., NW, Ste. 500 Washington, D.C. 20004 Attn: Steve McDonald/Brian Caudill
I don't live there, so all I can do is make suggestions... tell the State government all about the non-emission controlled portable generators, chainsaws, go karts, out board motors, lawnmowers, etc, that are being produced and sold new EVERY DAY in CA. How can a car that ceased production 30 years ago pollute more than these NEW products that are coming off assembly lines AS I TYPE THIS?!?!?! Spending money and time on a law that targets a portion of the automobiles in the state that is less than 1% is a WASTE of tax dollars. A new initiative that makes common items like lawn mowers less of a gross polluter will BENEFIT the state and would be a more appropriate use of time effort and tax money to clean the air in California. In addition it would be something for OTHER States to look at, after CA did something about lawnmowers, generators, etc. Mention that aut manufacturers like Ford produced cars as recently as 10 years ago that could NOT pass CA. emission laws from the factory- and Ford KNEW IT! The argument that lawnmowers, generators etc, would be too expensive to fit emission equipment on is NO LONGER A VALID ARGUMENT. Either the State wants cleaner air, or it wants to target a hobby. Clean up emissions on NEW PRODUCTS that use gasoline engines like chainsaws and lawnmowers. A step toward future clean air as well as today's clean air would take into account ALL internal combustion engines, not just those in an old car.
That URL does not contain any information. What date does that press release have? Reads just like one from last Summer, which is old news.
I have to have emissions tests on my 71's here in MO...it sucks. Damn waiver fees for failing 4 times are outrageous.
If they're all fired up to repeal something.... Tell the folks in Sacramento to repeal the state income tax or something otherwise equally constructive.
I got it today from the SEMA action network. I will write my state senator like I have many times before when these types of bills come up. If I don't do it who will?
I find no mention of this bill currently on the California state legislative docket. Who is the purported sponsor?
Does anybody know what a catalytic converter is?:laugh: Just kidding. I wouldn't suggest anything to the legislature about "lawnmowers and weed whackers are worse than our hobby cars, you should go after them instead" because all that will happen is not only will they require testing of your car, but you will have to retrofit your lawnmower with a pcv valve and a catalytic converter. Instead, I would suggest that these cars are a part of American history and with so few of them left, they need to be preserved. However, at 30+ years old, it is quite impossible to find parts and maintain the car to (as of it's build date) "like new" status. With so few of them left, the environmental impact is a non-issue. The problem is that the greenies think that all cars are evil. This is just one more way for them to do away with more cars. It's not the legislature's fault that this bill has been introduced, it's some whiny special interest group with some financial backing that think they are trying to save the world. Until people learn to co-exist and just let things be, we won't be rid of this problem. The other solution is that you could move to North Dakota. It's to cold for the whimpy greenies here and we don't have enough money to do emissions testing anyway. The only problem is that I only get to enjoy my car a few months out of the year.
