Registration for the 2019 SEMA Show is open.

Registration for the 2019 SEMA Show is open.

Booth space is still available for the 2019 SEMA Show, November 5–8, in Las Vegas.

Booth space is still available for the 2019 SEMA Show, November 5–8, in Las Vegas.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

SB 112 removes cars from the impact of AB 1824, which was signed into law in June of 2018.

Thanks to the efforts of Assembly Members Tim Grayson (D-Concord), Tasha Boerner-Horvath (D-Oceanside), Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Phil Chen (R-Diamond Bar), Senator Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) and enthusiasts throughout California, state lawmakers have approved SEMA-supported legislation (SB 112) that restores “fix-it” tickets for cars suspected of violating the state’s exhaust noise limit. Once signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom, SB 112 will take effect immediately.

SB 112, a budget implementation (trailer) bill, includes text drawn from SEMA-sponsored AB 390, which was authored by Assembly Members Grayson and Jim Frazier in early 2019. Under normal legislative procedure, AB 390 would not have been implemented until January 2020.

“SEMA thanks Assembly Members Grayson, Boerner-Horvath, Ting and Chen, and Senator Mitchell for their tireless work on behalf of the over 1,700 member companies based in the Golden State,” said Daniel Ingber, SEMA’s vice president for legal and government affairs. “Thanks to their efforts, enthusiasts in California will continue to be afforded due process under the law.”

SB 112 removes cars from the impact of AB 1824, which was signed into law in June of 2018. AB 1824 amended how California law enforcement officials issued citations for suspected exhaust noise violations by eliminating the ability to issue fix-it tickets, which allowed for 30-days to correct a violation. Instead, motorists received an immediate fine. The bill generated significant concern within the specialty automotive aftermarket industry and enthusiast community. Once signed into law by Gov. Newsom, SB 112 will again allow law enforcement to issue fix-it tickets.

Since 2003, exhaust systems installed on motor vehicles in California with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of less than 6,000 pounds, other than motorcycles, may not exceed a sound level of 95 decibels when tested under a Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) procedure. SB 112 does not change this.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

SB 112 removes cars from the impact of AB 1824, which was signed into law in June of 2018.

Thanks to the efforts of Assembly Members Tim Grayson (D-Concord), Tasha Boerner-Horvath (D-Oceanside), Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Phil Chen (R-Diamond Bar), Senator Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) and enthusiasts throughout California, state lawmakers have approved SEMA-supported legislation (SB 112) that restores “fix-it” tickets for cars suspected of violating the state’s exhaust noise limit. Once signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom, SB 112 will take effect immediately.

SB 112, a budget implementation (trailer) bill, includes text drawn from SEMA-sponsored AB 390, which was authored by Assembly Members Grayson and Jim Frazier in early 2019. Under normal legislative procedure, AB 390 would not have been implemented until January 2020.

“SEMA thanks Assembly Members Grayson, Boerner-Horvath, Ting and Chen, and Senator Mitchell for their tireless work on behalf of the over 1,700 member companies based in the Golden State,” said Daniel Ingber, SEMA’s vice president for legal and government affairs. “Thanks to their efforts, enthusiasts in California will continue to be afforded due process under the law.”

SB 112 removes cars from the impact of AB 1824, which was signed into law in June of 2018. AB 1824 amended how California law enforcement officials issued citations for suspected exhaust noise violations by eliminating the ability to issue fix-it tickets, which allowed for 30-days to correct a violation. Instead, motorists received an immediate fine. The bill generated significant concern within the specialty automotive aftermarket industry and enthusiast community. Once signed into law by Gov. Newsom, SB 112 will again allow law enforcement to issue fix-it tickets.

Since 2003, exhaust systems installed on motor vehicles in California with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of less than 6,000 pounds, other than motorcycles, may not exceed a sound level of 95 decibels when tested under a Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) procedure. SB 112 does not change this.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

SB 112 removes cars from the impact of AB 1824, which was signed into law in June of 2018.

Thanks to the efforts of Assembly Members Tim Grayson (D-Concord), Tasha Boerner-Horvath (D-Oceanside), Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Phil Chen (R-Diamond Bar), Senator Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) and enthusiasts throughout California, state lawmakers have approved SEMA-supported legislation (SB 112) that restores “fix-it” tickets for cars suspected of violating the state’s exhaust noise limit. Once signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom, SB 112 will take effect immediately.

SB 112, a budget implementation (trailer) bill, includes text drawn from SEMA-sponsored AB 390, which was authored by Assembly Members Grayson and Jim Frazier in early 2019. Under normal legislative procedure, AB 390 would not have been implemented until January 2020.

“SEMA thanks Assembly Members Grayson, Boerner-Horvath, Ting and Chen, and Senator Mitchell for their tireless work on behalf of the over 1,700 member companies based in the Golden State,” said Daniel Ingber, SEMA’s vice president for legal and government affairs. “Thanks to their efforts, enthusiasts in California will continue to be afforded due process under the law.”

SB 112 removes cars from the impact of AB 1824, which was signed into law in June of 2018. AB 1824 amended how California law enforcement officials issued citations for suspected exhaust noise violations by eliminating the ability to issue fix-it tickets, which allowed for 30-days to correct a violation. Instead, motorists received an immediate fine. The bill generated significant concern within the specialty automotive aftermarket industry and enthusiast community. Once signed into law by Gov. Newsom, SB 112 will again allow law enforcement to issue fix-it tickets.

Since 2003, exhaust systems installed on motor vehicles in California with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of less than 6,000 pounds, other than motorcycles, may not exceed a sound level of 95 decibels when tested under a Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) procedure. SB 112 does not change this.

SEMA-member companies have posted several new listings for job opportunities in the Classifieds page of SEMA.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to revoke a waiver issued previously to California to set greenhouse gas emissions rules that are tougher than federal standards. The action will be challenged in court, a battle that could last beyond the 2020 elections. The Clean Air Act allows California to request a waiver for stricter state emissions standards that can subsequently be adopted by other states. The EPA has issued many waivers over decades but this will be the first time it has rescinded a waiver.

The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards are triggering the dispute over California’s greenhouse gas standards. At the federal level, the CAFE standards are set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and linked to the EPA’s greenhouse-gas rule, since both rules are based on the amount of carbon emitted as fuel is burned. The Trump Administration contends that the law governing NHTSA’s CAFE standards does not authorize California to set tougher state greenhouse gas standards.

The administration wants to freeze the CAFE standards at 2020 levels (around 37 mpg) rather than reaching the current federally mandated level of 54.5 mpg by MY 2025. While many automakers may not seek such a significant CAFE level reduction given their need to compete in a global market, they support the need for a single national fuel economy program with standards that reflect marketplace realities. To date, four companies (Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and BMW) have signed an agreement with California to reach a standard of about 50 miles per gallon by MY 2026. 

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

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to revoke a waiver issued previously to California to set greenhouse gas emissions rules that are tougher than federal standards. The action will be challenged in court, a battle that could last beyond the 2020 elections. The Clean Air Act allows California to request a waiver for stricter state emissions standards that can subsequently be adopted by other states. The EPA has issued many waivers over decades but this will be the first time it has rescinded a waiver.

The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards are triggering the dispute over California’s greenhouse gas standards. At the federal level, the CAFE standards are set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and linked to the EPA’s greenhouse-gas rule, since both rules are based on the amount of carbon emitted as fuel is burned. The Trump Administration contends that the law governing NHTSA’s CAFE standards does not authorize California to set tougher state greenhouse gas standards.

The administration wants to freeze the CAFE standards at 2020 levels (around 37 mpg) rather than reaching the current federally mandated level of 54.5 mpg by MY 2025. While many automakers may not seek such a significant CAFE level reduction given their need to compete in a global market, they support the need for a single national fuel economy program with standards that reflect marketplace realities. To date, four companies (Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and BMW) have signed an agreement with California to reach a standard of about 50 miles per gallon by MY 2026. 

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