Proposed SMOG Test Law Change, California

[bluebus86]

Please see below:


California Introduces Bill to Exempt pre-1981 Vehicles From Emissions Inspection Requirement

In 2004, legislation was enacted to repeal California’s rolling emissions-test exemption for vehicles 30 years old and older and replace it with a law requiring the lifetime testing of all 1976 and newer model-year vehicles. This year, a bill has been introduced in the California Senate (S.B. 1224) by Senator Doug LaMalfa ([email protected] ) to exempt all motor vehicles prior to the 1981 model year from the emissions inspection requirement. The bill will be considered in the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee on March 27, 2012.

We Urge You to Contact All Members of the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee (Contact Info Below) Immediately To Request Their Support for S.B. 1224S.B. 1224 recognizes the minimal impact of pre-1981vehicles on emissions and air quality.


S.B. 1224 acknowledges that pre-1981 vehicles still constitute a minuscule portion of the overall vehicle population and are a poor source from which to look for emissions reduction.


S.B. 1224 endorses the fact that pre-1981 vehicles are overwhelmingly well-maintained and infrequently driven (a fraction of the miles each year as a new vehicle).


For years, legislators, regulators and stationary source polluters have felt the heat from failed efforts to meet air quality goals and have looked to older cars as a convenient scapegoat, using false data and inflated annual mileage assumptions to further their case. S.B. 1224 helps validate the truth. The old car hobby should not continue to carry the burden of past mistakes!
DON’T DELAY! Please contact members of the California Senate Transportation and Housing Committee immediately to request their support of S.B. 1224. Please e-mail a copy of your letter to Steve McDonald at [email protected]. Also, please forward this Alert to your fellow car enthusiasts. Urge them to join the SAN and help defend the hobby! Thank you for your assistance.

Senate Transportation and Housing Committee
To e-mail all members of the Committee, copy and paste the email address block below:

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Senator Mark DeSaulnier (Chair)
Phone: (916) 651-4007
Email: [email protected]

Senator Ted Gaines (Vice Chair)
Phone: (916) 651-4001
Email: [email protected]

Senator Tom Harman
Phone: (916) 651-4035
Email: [email protected]

Senator Christine Kehoe
Phone: (916) 651-4039
Email: [email protected]

Senator Alan Lowenthal
Phone: (916) 651-4027
Email: [email protected]

Senator Fran Pavley
Phone: (916) 651-4023
Email: [email protected]

Senator Michael Rubio
Phone: (916) 651-4016
Email: [email protected]

Senator Joe Simitian
Phone: (916) 651-4011
Email: [email protected]

Senator Mark Wyland
Phone: (916) 651-4038
Email: [email protected]

[SixStringMadMan]

Anyone have an update on this? This doesn't look so good.

http://e-lobbyist.com/gaits/CA/SB1224

2012-03-28 - Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
2012-03-09 - Set for hearing March 27.
2012-03-08 - Referred to Com. on T. & H.
2012-02-24 - From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 25.
2012-02-23 - Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
_________________
1978 Kombi
http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-10020.htm

[Flat4Tom]

Looks like the hearing has been rescheduled for April 10th.

It's not dead yet...
_________________
'Team Revolution' '68 Drag Bug
Deserter GT Dune Buggy
'73 Cal-Lookr
'73 Porsche 914 2.0

[Randall]

Here is an update on that bill. It failed in the committee vote on April 10 with 3 Ayes to 4 Noes. http://legiscan.com/gaits/view/405453
Farther down on that webpage under the heading "Roll Calls" it says "Reconsideration granted" in a 9 to 0 vote. I assume that means they will consider hearing the bill again in the future after it goes back to some other committee for revision.

This video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9602bTWmG1k shows testimony given to the committee by interested parties. I think one of the better arguments given is by someone from SEMA starting at 2:33. He states that only about 21,000 vehicles in the pre-1981(?) group failed the emissions test out of the total of 27 million vehicles that are registered in California. That was a 29% failure rate among that group. Opposition arguments start at 6:10 in the video.

I don't have any inside scoop on the chances of this bill passing in the future but I'm guessing it won't be easy. One thing in the bill's favor is that it missed going out of committee to the full Senate by only one vote. In order to become law it also has to pass the other house of legislature (the Assembly). Then the two houses have to get together to resolve any differences. If a compromise is reached, the bill is returned to both houses for a vote. If it passes that vote the final hurdle is for the governor to sign it.

Overview of the legislative process: http://www.acucouncil.org/the_legislative_process_in_words.htm
(This is your civics lesson for this week, so study it because I'm going to test you on it.)

Seeing as how the governor is Jerry Brown, who strongly believes in protecting the earth, I don't picture him as someone who would be in favor of letting more cars becoming exempt from smog checks every two years.

[KTPhil]

[Tram]

[notchback]

[Jacks]

[90volts]

I have no problem. With any given car having to meet the standards it had to meet when new. I don't think older cars should be made to pass newer standards , but I'm against a blanket exemption as well.. if you have a 1976 car.. I'm for it needing to pass 1976 emissions. If its modified to where it can't then it should be titled a special construction and then exempted that way.