California lawmakers have decided not to advance a bill that would have exempted classic cars from the state’s smog check requirements. Senate Bill 712, known as “Leno’s Law,” was blocked by the Assembly Appropriations Committee, according to KABC-TV.
The proposed legislation, sponsored by Republican Sen. Shannon Grove and supported by car enthusiast Jay Leno, aimed to provide an exemption for collector vehicles at least 35 years old from California’s smog check law. According to a fact sheet issued by Grove, “SB 712, also known as ‘Leno’s Law,’ offers a practical solution for owners of collector vehicles that have difficulty complying with the state’s smog check law.”
“Leno’s Law is sponsored by renowned car enthusiast and television icon Jay Leno. The bill would exempt, on an ongoing basis, collector cars whose model year is 35 years or older from the state’s smog check law,” the fact sheet said.
Because the bill did not pass, classic cars in California will continue to be subject to regular emissions inspections. The fact sheet further stated: “The bill would also exempt classic cars from the smog check program upon transfer of a vehicle. These classic cars are infrequently driven, carefully maintained, and make up only a fraction of cars on the road.”
Supporters argued that removing these vehicles from biennial smog checks would help preserve automotive history in California. “Exempting them from the biennial smog check would strengthen California’s ‘car culture’ by helping preserve these historical treasures,” according to Grove’s office.
The fact sheet described current requirements as excessive for vintage vehicles: “Forcing classic cars to meet current standards ‘is an overreach by the government.’” It also noted that most other states already exempt older vehicles: “It targets a small group of people without providing any significant benefit or detriment to overall air quality in the state. In most other states, vehicles over 25 years old, considered classic cars, are exempt from smog checks.”
In response to the decision not to move forward with SB 712, Steven Symes wrote in an Auto Wire Op-Ed about his skepticism regarding its chances in California’s regulatory environment. He wrote: “Everyone knows why this bill was killed: the party that controls California has waged open warfare on any car that burns gasoline. That means your classic ride is public enemy number one.” He added: “We were skeptical this bill would ever be passed into law. After all, California is the same state which has been leading the charge with EV mandates and even talking about banning not only the sale of vehicles with internal combustion engines, but the operation of them on public roads.”
Symes concluded his commentary urging enthusiasts who value their hobby to consider leaving California: “What this latest move signals is that if you’re a classic car owner and love the hobby, but you happen to reside in California, now is the time to make your exit.” He advised those considering relocation: “Just remember, if you’re a gearhead and you do leave the Golden State, don’t bring the political mess you left along with you. Vote differently if in the past you’ve supported the nonsense which has led to this aggressive push against your beloved hobby,” he wrote.
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