NEW CALIF SMOG LAW PROPOSED

[So Cal Mark]

I received this from SEMA today, and I'd encourage every Calif member to email your opposition to the idiotic Assemblyman that has proposed it. Here's the article;
To view this email as a web page, please follow this link




California Reintroduces Bill to Require ANNUAL Emissions Tests for Vehicles 15-Years Old and Older

Here we go again! Legislation (A.B. 859) has been reintroduced in the California Assembly by Assemblyman Dave Jones (Assemblymember.jones@assembly.ca.gov) to require annual Smog check inspections for vehicles 15-years old and older. The bill would also require that funds generated through the additional inspection fees be deposited into an account which can be used to scrap older cars. You may recall that in 2004 a new law was enacted in California to require the lifetime testing of all 1976 and newer model-year vehicles. Pre-1976 motor vehicles would remain exempt under A.B. 859. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Transportation Committee.

We Urge You to Contact Assemblyman Jones and Members of the Assembly Transportation Committee (List Below) Immediately to Oppose A.B. 859

A.B. 859 ignores the minimal impact vintage cars have on air quality.


A.B. 859 could entice vintage car owners into allowing these vehicles to be scrapped.


A.B. 859 ignores the fact that vehicles 15-years old and older still constitute a small portion of the overall vehicle population and are a poor source from which to look for emissions reduction.


A.B. 859 ignores the fact that classic vehicles are overwhelmingly well-maintained and infrequently driven.


A.B. 859 would increase costs by creating an annual inspection fee for owners of these vehicles.


A.B. 859 represents another attempt by California legislators and regulators to scapegoat older cars.
Please contact members of the California Assembly Transportation Committee immediately by phone, fax or e-mail to request their opposition to A.B. 859.

Please e-mail a copy of your letter to stevem

[jimincalif]

We're better off when they are deadlocked over the budget, it stops all this other nonsense.

[htchevyii]

Man, I've allready sent letters on this once, sometimes I HATE living in CA. What a p.i.t.a. this would be for poor owners of older cars.

[pope]

Keep me in mind if you have to get rid of your cars! Mike and I can hold them for you

You can come out to Michigan and drive it when ever your on vacation.

[kilrwail]

What will they dream up next - emissions testing at race tracks?

[So Cal Mark]

I'm going to get an address in Az or Nv and start registering cars there

[JimM]

California Reintroduces Bill to Require ANNUAL Emissions Tests for Vehicles 15-Years Old and Older
Any chance that we could get them to change this to read "ANNUAL Emissions Tests for Diesel powered passenger vehicles". After all they are requiring the large trucks to comply to emissions retrofitting that will cost approximately $10,000 per vehicle. I had a company truck (diesel) that could in no way pass a smog test, but this vehicle was exempt. It just doesn't seem fair. I could triple the read outs of my '78 and still pass our smog test. My car runs cleaner than my 2000 F-150 which passes every time. It almost sounds like time to consider moving to Oregon or Nevada. Thanks for the heads up Mark, I will definately send this idiot an e-mail about his bill.

[rlux4]

I may have to get a prescription for blood pressure medicine.
Ron

[mbouse]

so, i have been to CA twice in my life. the first time as a mere lad... which was so long ago, i don't recall the air quality at the time. the second was on our honeymoon, and L.A. was just a layover on our way to Hawaii....man wadda layover!! Can't recall if there was, or was not air that day.

is there currently an air quality issue, or does this guy just not have enough to do? is this his way of stimulating the economy, or does he not realize that people are out of jobs and cannot afford to upgrade to tighter air quality legislation?

my first inclination was to make a joke, and be"funny". But, WTF? i'm all for clean air, and don't relate to the complexity of the issue from this far away. So, if i am unemployed and still need to drive to look for work, my car can be taken from me; scraping a car can be mandated? that is a police state mentality. Capt John Yossarian would feel right at home.

retroactive changes to laws is nothing but liberal B.S.

[fiasco]

Parts of CA certainly do have air quality issues. The LA basin, the Bay area, and the central valley all have issues, for various reasons. And it is true that air quality initiatives and regulations have significantly improved the quality of the air, at least in the LA basin, where I live, in the last 15 years.

I think the problem here is that this guy is going after a segment of the population that simply doesn't contribute much to the air quality problem. Enacting this legislation will accomplish almost nothing for air quality, though it will cost old and classic car enthusiasts more money, and will discourage people from owning, restoring, showing and enjoying classic cars. And it will get Dave Jones' name in the news, which I suspect is the real motivation here. As a politician, he has to look like he's doing something.

So, while I don't complain about smog testing and enforcement in general, I don't think this particular legislation is any good.

My 2 cents,
-- se

[mbouse]

politicians are responsible for allowing our jobs to go to China...untaxed. politicians are responsible for the greedy speculators to get rich off commodities that should be regulated such as fuel and medical treatment...

and they "need" to look busy this way?

hmm... let's pick the fly shit out of the pepper ...

time for less government involvement in personal matters, not more.

[So Cal Mark]

lack of govt oversight is what created the real estate and wall st meltdowns.
A law had been passed in Calif to require diesel construction equipment to be retrofitted with emission controls. The Air Resources Board determined that on-site equipment contributed 17% of the smog in Calif. That law was put on hold because of the construction slowdown. So now they'd rather take on vintage cars

[pope]

It was never lack of government supervision. The government of both parties mandated that banks start giving home loan to people who could not put 10 or 20% down on a home. These people were getting 110% of the homes values in loans and had no financial stake in the value. Then they didnt take fixed rate loans. Some took interest-only or ARM loans. When the ballon payment came, default. They gambled and lost, I think they should lose their homes.

[htchevyii]

I've reposted in a bunch of other forums, here's the email addresses:
Please e-mail a copy of your letter to stevem@sema.org. Thank you for your assistance.

Assembly Transportation Committee

Assemblymember Mike Eng - ChairPhone: 916/319-2049Email: Assemblymember.Eng@asm.ca.gov

Assemblymember Kevin JeffriesPhone: 916/319-2066Email: Assemblymember.Jeffries@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Bob BlumenfieldPhone: 916/319-2040Email: Assemblymember.Blumenfield@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Joan BuchananPhone: 916/319-2015Email: Assemblymember.Buchanan@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Connie ConwayPhone: 916/319-2034Email: Assemblymember.Conway@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Warren FurutaniPhone: 916/319-2055Email: Assemblymember.Furutani@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Cathleen GalgianiPhone: 916/319-2017Email: Assemblymember.Galgiani@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Martin GarrickPhone: 916/319-2074Email: Assemblymember.Garrick@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Bonnie LowenthalPhone: 916/319-2054Email: Assemblymember.Lowenthal@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Jeff MillerPhone: 916/319-2071Email: Assemblymember.Miller@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Roger NielloPhone: 916/319-2005Email: Assemblymember.niello@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember John PerezPhone: 916/319-2046Email: Assemblymember.John.Perez@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Jose SolorioPhone: 916/319-2069Email: Assemblymember.solorio@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Tom TorlaksonPhone: 916/319-2011Email: Assemblymember.Torlakson@assembly.ca.gov

[So Cal Mark]

Trey, thanks for compiling the list. I've already written to the bills author, but sending comments to the transpo committee members is a great idea