SEMA-supported legislation to provide a 10-year emissions inspection exemption for newly registered vehicles was approved by the Senate Transportation Committee. Current law only provides a one-year exemption. The bill now moves to the Appropriations Committee for consideration. The bill acknowledges that it is senseless to test newer vehicles, the results of which demonstrate no significant air-quality benefits.
The idea behind exempting any class of vehicles is to reduce costs while not losing appreciable emissions reductions. This strategy builds support for emissions inspection programs, but also directs finite resources to where they will be most valuable in cleaning the air.
For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network website. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.