The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will continue to allow tires to be recycled by burning them as fuel by an industrial facility. Supported by SEMA, the decision preserves an important recycling option, which accounts for more than 50% of annual scrap-tire disposals. The EPA had initially ruled that the tires would be classified as solid waste, requiring the removal of metal before being burned. Paper mills, cement kilns and electric power plants are the major fuel users of recycled tires. In its final rule, the EPA still prevents whole tires previously discarded in waste tire piles from being combusted without sufficient processing.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will continue to allow tires to be recycled by burning them as fuel by an industrial facility. Supported by SEMA, the decision preserves an important recycling option, which accounts for more than 50% of annual scrap-tire disposals. The EPA had initially ruled that the tires would be classified as solid waste, requiring the removal of metal before being burned. Paper mills, cement kilns and electric power plants are the major fuel users of recycled tires. In its final rule, the EPA still prevents whole tires previously discarded in waste tire piles from being combusted without sufficient processing.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

A bill in the North Dakota State Legislature to severely restrict the modification of any motor vehicle that alters the manufacturer's original suspension, steering or brake system has been amended and approved by the House Transportation Committee. At the insistence of SEMA and the North Dakota hobbyist community, among the provisions that were deleted from the bill are those requiring the state highway patrol to issue an inspection certificate for all modifications (without indicating objective criteria that would be used to determine which modifications are legal) and requiring fenders on all vehicles regardless of whether or not they were originally manufactured with this equipment. 

The bill will next be considered by the full House of Representatives. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

A bill in the North Dakota State Legislature to severely restrict the modification of any motor vehicle that alters the manufacturer's original suspension, steering or brake system has been amended and approved by the House Transportation Committee. At the insistence of SEMA and the North Dakota hobbyist community, among the provisions that were deleted from the bill are those requiring the state highway patrol to issue an inspection certificate for all modifications (without indicating objective criteria that would be used to determine which modifications are legal) and requiring fenders on all vehicles regardless of whether or not they were originally manufactured with this equipment. 

The bill will next be considered by the full House of Representatives. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

Legislation to increase the age requirement for vehicles eligible for registration as “antique, rare or special-interest motor vehicles” has been introduced in the Connecticut General Assembly. Under the SEMA-opposed bill, vehicles seeking registration under these classes would be required to be at least 25 years old. Currently, vehicles 20 years old or older are eligible for such status and a reduced assessment for personal property tax purposes. Antique, rare or special-interest motor vehicles are currently assessed at a rate of $500 and owners pay personal property taxes on that amount. The Connecticut Joint Committee on Planning and Development is scheduled to hold a hearing on the bill in early March. 

For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

Legislation to increase the age requirement for vehicles eligible for registration as “antique, rare or special-interest motor vehicles” has been introduced in the Connecticut General Assembly. Under the SEMA-opposed bill, vehicles seeking registration under these classes would be required to be at least 25 years old. Currently, vehicles 20 years old or older are eligible for such status and a reduced assessment for personal property tax purposes. Antique, rare or special-interest motor vehicles are currently assessed at a rate of $500 and owners pay personal property taxes on that amount. The Connecticut Joint Committee on Planning and Development is scheduled to hold a hearing on the bill in early March. 

For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

Legislation that originally sought to increase the age requirement for vehicles eligible for registration as “collector vehicles” was amended and approved by the Washington House Transportation Committee. Under the amended bill, vehicles seeking registration as collector vehicles and the one-time registration fee would only be required to be at least 30 years old—not 40 years old as the original bill required. The amended bill also deletes provisions that would have created penalties for violating the limited-use provisions. The measure now only requires the Department of Licensing to establish a method for law enforcement to readily access collector vehicle information using the collector vehicle’s plate number, which will aid in ensuring a plate is being used on its properly assigned vehicle. 

For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

Legislation that originally sought to increase the age requirement for vehicles eligible for registration as “collector vehicles” was amended and approved by the Washington House Transportation Committee. Under the amended bill, vehicles seeking registration as collector vehicles and the one-time registration fee would only be required to be at least 30 years old—not 40 years old as the original bill required. The amended bill also deletes provisions that would have created penalties for violating the limited-use provisions. The measure now only requires the Department of Licensing to establish a method for law enforcement to readily access collector vehicle information using the collector vehicle’s plate number, which will aid in ensuring a plate is being used on its properly assigned vehicle. 

For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

SEMA-model legislation to create a vehicle registration classification for street rods and custom vehicles and provide for special license plates for these vehicles was approved by the Senate Transportation Committee. The bill will now be considered by the Senate Finance Committee. The bill defines a street rod as an altered vehicle manufactured before 1949 and a custom as an altered vehicle at least 25 years old and manufactured after 1948. Among other things, the measure allows for the use of non-original materials; creates a titling and registration criterion that assigns these vehicles the same model-year designation as the production vehicle they most closely resemble; only holds street rods, customs and replicas to the equipment standards specified by law during the model year listed on the title of the vehicle; and provides for a one-time registration and plate fee of $100. 

For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

SEMA-model legislation to create a vehicle registration classification for street rods and custom vehicles and provide for special license plates for these vehicles was approved by the Senate Transportation Committee. The bill will now be considered by the Senate Finance Committee. The bill defines a street rod as an altered vehicle manufactured before 1949 and a custom as an altered vehicle at least 25 years old and manufactured after 1948. Among other things, the measure allows for the use of non-original materials; creates a titling and registration criterion that assigns these vehicles the same model-year designation as the production vehicle they most closely resemble; only holds street rods, customs and replicas to the equipment standards specified by law during the model year listed on the title of the vehicle; and provides for a one-time registration and plate fee of $100. 

For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.