LEGISLATIVE AND TECHNICAL AFFAIRS
Law and Order
By Stuart Gosswein
FEDERAL UPDATE
SEMA-supported legislation to allow expanded-use antique
vehicles to be driven without limitation for two additional
months. Currently, expanded-use antique vehicles are
defined as being more than 25 years old or “a bona fide
replica” and are limited to traveling to and from auto shows,
exhibitions, service stations and demonstrations during the
colder months (November through March), but they can be
driven without limitation during the warmer months (April
through October). The bill proposes that the months without
driving limitations to be expanded to March through
November. The legislation awaits final approval or veto by
Governor J.B. Pritzker.
RPM Act: The SEMA-backed Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2021 (RPM Act; HR 3281) was reintroduced in the House by U.S. Representatives Patrick McHenry (R-NC) and Raul Ruiz (D-CA). The bill would protect Americans’ right to convert street vehicles into dedicated race cars as well as the motorsports parts industry’s ability to sell products that allow racers to compete. In 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that this activity was illegal under the Clean Air Act. The legislation would confirm that conversions are permitted along with the sale of race parts used to make the conversions. A massive grassroots campaign has generated more than 1.3 million letters sent to members of Congress urging passage of the RPM Act. The legislation has been subject to previous committee hearings and inclusion in a 2020 energy bill passed by the House but never taken up by the Senate. Consideration of HR 3281 is pending in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and a companion bill will soon be introduced in the U.S. Senate. For more information, visit www.sema.org/rpmact.
Duties on Tires From Southeast Asia: The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) confirmed that U.S. industry is being harmed from imports of passenger and light truck tires at less than fair value (“dumping”) from South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. The ITC also found and that Vietnamese tire producers have received unfair subsidies from the country’s “undervalued currency.” The ITC dismissed the antidumping investigation for tires from Vietnam as being negligible. The U.S. Department of Commerce had previously calculated the dumping duties to be assessed range from 14.72% to 27.05% for South Korea, 20.04% to 101.84% for Taiwan, and 14.62% to 21.09% for Thailand. The subsidy rates for tires from Vietnam range from 6.23% to 7.89 %. The duties are collected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
STATE UPDATE
Missouri—Historic Vehicles: The Missouri Senate failed to consider SEMA-supported legislation that would have allowed historic vehicles to be issued license plates without an annual mileage restriction, so the legislation died as the legislature adjourned. Current law limits historic vehicle owners to 1,000 mi. of driving for personal use per year. The Senate Committee on Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety previously passed the bill.
Texas—License Plates: The House Transportation Committee failed to consider prior to adjournment SEMA-supported legislation that would have allowed the display of only a single, rear-mounted license plate for passenger vehicles if the vehicle is unable to display a front license plate. The Senate previously passed the bill.
