2 weeks ago
13
- Jay Leno supports a California measure exempting 35-year-old cars from smog checks.
- The projected bill, SB-712, would grow the existent 1975 exemption for older vehicles.
- Leno says astir smog stations deficiency the tools needed to trial vintage cars properly.
California has a agelong past of regulating what comes retired of your tailpipe, but now, a acquainted look is throwing his value down a measure that could loosen things up—at slightest for classical car enthusiasts. Jay Leno famously steers wide of authorities successful his comedy, which makes it each the much astonishing that helium was conscionable spotted astatine the California State Capitol backing Senate Bill 712.
Dubbed “Leno’s Law,” the projected authorities would exempt cars 35 years and older from smog checks, offering a tiny but important carveout for vintage vehicles.
Read: SF Launches California’s First Fixed Speed Cameras, Fines Scaled By Income
As it presently stands, astir vehicles built aft 1975 indispensable walk a smog cheque if registration oregon ownership changes. But according to Leno, galore smog stations don’t adjacent person the close instrumentality to trial older cars. The measure has bipartisan support, and proponents constituent retired that little than 1 percent of the cars connected the roadworthy successful California would suffice for the exemption.
A Celebrity Pitch, With a Pontiac Twist
“I cognize I’m an annoying personage coming to Sacramento. I’ve watched them connected TV, and immoderate person nary thought what they’re talking about. But this is simply a taxable I’m funny in,” Leno said aft showing up successful a classical Pontiac Trans Am.
“I watched the movie manufacture get decimated. Everybody moved retired of California, they charged truthful overmuch to film. Everyone went to Texas, Georgia, Atlanta. We person the hotrod culture,” the erstwhile late-night speech amusement big continued, noting respective automakers person hotrod plan studios each implicit the state. “To spot each these bully ideas permission and spell to Texas and spell different places to bash business, I don’t privation to spot the blistery rod concern oregon mechanical concern permission the mode the movie concern did.”
Opponents of the measure accidental that it volition unfastened up a mode for radical to support heavy polluting cars connected the road. It’s worthy noting that California already exempts cars made earlier 1976 from its smog-check program. In fact, for diesel-powered vehicles, it exempts everything made earlier 1998.
On apical of that, gas-powered cars that are little than 8 years aged don’t request smog checks either. All of that said, it would look similar carving retired an objection for Leno’s instrumentality makes sense. The measure passed the Senate Transportation Committee and volition present spell to the Appropriations Committee for further consideration.
While it’s acold from a done deal, “Leno’s Law” could springiness vintage car owners a break, and support a fewer much Trans Ams cruising California streets without a day astatine the smog shop.
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