By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation (S.B. 356) introduced in Nevada to allow for the titling and registration of retired military vehicles passed the legislature and now moves to Governor Steve Sisolak for approval.

Legislation (S.B. 356) introduced in Nevada to allow for the titling and registration of retired military vehicles passed the legislature and now moves to Governor Steve Sisolak for approval. Currently, retired military vehicles are not able to be titled or registered for use on highways in Nevada.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation (S.B. 356) introduced in Nevada to allow for the titling and registration of retired military vehicles passed the legislature and now moves to Governor Steve Sisolak for approval.

Legislation (S.B. 356) introduced in Nevada to allow for the titling and registration of retired military vehicles passed the legislature and now moves to Governor Steve Sisolak for approval. Currently, retired military vehicles are not able to be titled or registered for use on highways in Nevada.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on the removal of unnecessary regulatory barriers to the safe introduction of vehicles with automated driving systems (ADS) in the United States. NHTSA seeks comment on identifying and addressing regulatory barriers to the deployment of ADS vehicles posed by certain existing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). NHTSA is also seeking suggestions on approaches that could be used to measure compliance with the FMVSS for vehicles without conventional controls such as steering wheels and brake pedals. 

The ANPRM builds on NHTSA’s ongoing efforts to identify and address regulatory barriers to ADS technologies, including a previous January 2018 request for comments on this topic. NHTSA intends to issue two additional documents to remove barriers in the crashworthiness FMVSSs (the 200-series standards) and address issues in the FMVSSs pertaining to telltales, indicators, and warnings in ADS–DVs.

Comments are due by July 29, 2019.  For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on the removal of unnecessary regulatory barriers to the safe introduction of vehicles with automated driving systems (ADS) in the United States. NHTSA seeks comment on identifying and addressing regulatory barriers to the deployment of ADS vehicles posed by certain existing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). NHTSA is also seeking suggestions on approaches that could be used to measure compliance with the FMVSS for vehicles without conventional controls such as steering wheels and brake pedals. 

The ANPRM builds on NHTSA’s ongoing efforts to identify and address regulatory barriers to ADS technologies, including a previous January 2018 request for comments on this topic. NHTSA intends to issue two additional documents to remove barriers in the crashworthiness FMVSSs (the 200-series standards) and address issues in the FMVSSs pertaining to telltales, indicators, and warnings in ADS–DVs.

Comments are due by July 29, 2019.  For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to expand retirement savings programs by a margin of 417 to 3. The “Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 2019,” (H.R. 1944) represents the most comprehensive plan to modify the U.S. retirement system in more than a decade. A similar bill is being considered by the U.S. Senate.

The SECURE Act makes it easier for small businesses to join multiple employer plans by not requiring businesses to be affiliated, increases tax credits for small businesses adopting a retirement plan, permits part-time employees to enroll in 401(k) plans, increases the age when individuals must start withdrawing money from an IRA from 70½ to 72, repeals the age cap on contributing to an IRA (currently 70½), and protects employers offering annuities from liability if the insurance company administering the plan is not able to make payments.

While many of these provisions are favorable for small businesses and workers, SEMA is concerned by sections of the bill designed to offset the loss of revenue to the federal government, including a provision to limit the amount of time individuals inheriting a retirement account have to withdraw funds (surviving spouses, the disabled and chronically ill, and children under the age of 10 are exempt). SEMA also objects to the bill’s increased penalties charged to businesses that fail to file retirement plan returns, which would largely impact small businesses.

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to expand retirement savings programs by a margin of 417 to 3. The “Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 2019,” (H.R. 1944) represents the most comprehensive plan to modify the U.S. retirement system in more than a decade. A similar bill is being considered by the U.S. Senate.

The SECURE Act makes it easier for small businesses to join multiple employer plans by not requiring businesses to be affiliated, increases tax credits for small businesses adopting a retirement plan, permits part-time employees to enroll in 401(k) plans, increases the age when individuals must start withdrawing money from an IRA from 70½ to 72, repeals the age cap on contributing to an IRA (currently 70½), and protects employers offering annuities from liability if the insurance company administering the plan is not able to make payments.

While many of these provisions are favorable for small businesses and workers, SEMA is concerned by sections of the bill designed to offset the loss of revenue to the federal government, including a provision to limit the amount of time individuals inheriting a retirement account have to withdraw funds (surviving spouses, the disabled and chronically ill, and children under the age of 10 are exempt). SEMA also objects to the bill’s increased penalties charged to businesses that fail to file retirement plan returns, which would largely impact small businesses.

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

The application deadline for the 10th Annual Exhibitor Summit is Monday, June 3. The event will take place in Las Vegas, Monday, June 17–Wednesday, June 19.

The application deadline for the 10th Annual Exhibitor Summit is Monday, June 3. The event will take place in Las Vegas, Monday, June 17–Wednesday, June 19.

By SEMA Editors

The SEMA Installation & Gala and SEMA Cares Pinewood Drag Races will take place Friday, July 26, at the Anaheim Marriott in Anaheim, California.

The SEMA Installation & Gala and SEMA Cares Pinewood Drag Races will take place Friday, July 26, at the Anaheim Marriott in Anaheim, California. The Pinewood finals are held during the cocktail reception, shortly before the banquet begins, with 100% of the proceeds going to qualified SEMA Cares charities. This special evening honors the specialty-equipment industry’s pioneers and dedicated volunteers, 2019 SEMA Hall of Fame inductees—Bob Chandler, Bruce Crower and Marla Moore—and the association’s incoming and outgoing Board members.

SEMA members can race either a car or truck in three classes: Build It For Me (BIFM), Stock and Unlimited. Members can either sponsor child-built cars and trucks in the BIFM or Stock class, or they can build and enter their own SEMA-supplied stock car or truck. Stock-class racing usually garners the most entries with a typical speed of 3.2 sec. on a 50-ft. track. For hardcore speed enthusiasts, the Unlimited class has only one rule—that one item from the stock kit be used. Cars in this class run sub-3 sec., and many of the past top builders include some of the most recognized names in the industry.

SEMA Cares Pinewood Drag Races special features include the annual HRIA Builders Challenge and the Council Cup. Watch as some of the biggest names in hot rodding build state-of-the-art custom pinewoods that will be raced and then auctioned off, with all of the proceeds going to SEMA Cares. Council members are invited to come out and challenge their peers for the opportunity to win the coveted Council Cup. The more cars or trucks fielded by each council member, the greater their chances of winning.

Bob Chandler	Bruce Crower	Marla Moore

Now in its third year, the Industry Cup Challenge features five divisions where sponsoring companies race child-built pinewood cars. Each division crowns a winning company, which then goes on to represent that division in an all-out industry race to No. 1. The industry challengers each have a limited number of entrants in the following divisions: warehouse distributors, manufacturers, media groups, rep agencies and service providers. The champion can display the trophy for a year with its company name engraved among the winners. It must then be returned, in a Stanley Cup-style tradition, as it will be up for grabs again at the next Pinewood Drag Races, where the company will have a chance to defend its title. The donation cost is $1,000 per sponsoring company. The standard pinewood build rules apply to all competing vehicles. Vehicles are randomly assigned and the race is officiated by SEMA Cares volunteers.

Proceeds from the races will benefit SEMA Cares charities, including Austin Hatcher Foundation, Childhelp and Victory Junction. Childhelp assists abused and neglected children by providing counseling and programs in a safe and secure living environment. Victory Junction provides a camp experience for children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses who otherwise would not be able to go. The Austin Hatcher Foundation’s mission is to erase the effects of pediatric cancer and optimize each child’s quality of life through essential specialized intervention beginning at the time of diagnosis and continuing throughout survivorship.

Sponsoring a SEMA Cares Pinewood Drag Races car or truck is easy and rewarding. Help a child in need today!

Register now for the Installation & Gala.

By SEMA Editors

The SEMA Installation & Gala and SEMA Cares Pinewood Drag Races will take place Friday, July 26, at the Anaheim Marriott in Anaheim, California.

The SEMA Installation & Gala and SEMA Cares Pinewood Drag Races will take place Friday, July 26, at the Anaheim Marriott in Anaheim, California. The Pinewood finals are held during the cocktail reception, shortly before the banquet begins, with 100% of the proceeds going to qualified SEMA Cares charities. This special evening honors the specialty-equipment industry’s pioneers and dedicated volunteers, 2019 SEMA Hall of Fame inductees—Bob Chandler, Bruce Crower and Marla Moore—and the association’s incoming and outgoing Board members.

SEMA members can race either a car or truck in three classes: Build It For Me (BIFM), Stock and Unlimited. Members can either sponsor child-built cars and trucks in the BIFM or Stock class, or they can build and enter their own SEMA-supplied stock car or truck. Stock-class racing usually garners the most entries with a typical speed of 3.2 sec. on a 50-ft. track. For hardcore speed enthusiasts, the Unlimited class has only one rule—that one item from the stock kit be used. Cars in this class run sub-3 sec., and many of the past top builders include some of the most recognized names in the industry.

SEMA Cares Pinewood Drag Races special features include the annual HRIA Builders Challenge and the Council Cup. Watch as some of the biggest names in hot rodding build state-of-the-art custom pinewoods that will be raced and then auctioned off, with all of the proceeds going to SEMA Cares. Council members are invited to come out and challenge their peers for the opportunity to win the coveted Council Cup. The more cars or trucks fielded by each council member, the greater their chances of winning.

Bob Chandler	Bruce Crower	Marla Moore

Now in its third year, the Industry Cup Challenge features five divisions where sponsoring companies race child-built pinewood cars. Each division crowns a winning company, which then goes on to represent that division in an all-out industry race to No. 1. The industry challengers each have a limited number of entrants in the following divisions: warehouse distributors, manufacturers, media groups, rep agencies and service providers. The champion can display the trophy for a year with its company name engraved among the winners. It must then be returned, in a Stanley Cup-style tradition, as it will be up for grabs again at the next Pinewood Drag Races, where the company will have a chance to defend its title. The donation cost is $1,000 per sponsoring company. The standard pinewood build rules apply to all competing vehicles. Vehicles are randomly assigned and the race is officiated by SEMA Cares volunteers.

Proceeds from the races will benefit SEMA Cares charities, including Austin Hatcher Foundation, Childhelp and Victory Junction. Childhelp assists abused and neglected children by providing counseling and programs in a safe and secure living environment. Victory Junction provides a camp experience for children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses who otherwise would not be able to go. The Austin Hatcher Foundation’s mission is to erase the effects of pediatric cancer and optimize each child’s quality of life through essential specialized intervention beginning at the time of diagnosis and continuing throughout survivorship.

Sponsoring a SEMA Cares Pinewood Drag Races car or truck is easy and rewarding. Help a child in need today!

Register now for the Installation & Gala.