By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation allowing the Illinois’ Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide information to gas stations encouraging them to offer E15 as an option for customers died when the legislature adjourned for the year.

Legislation allowing the state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide information to gas stations encouraging them to offer E15 as an option for customers died when the legislature adjourned for the year. The bill also allowed the department to provide information to gas stations on any financial assistance available to subsidize the cost of providing E15-blended fuel to consumers. The SEMA-opposed bill was introduced at a time when many states are proposing SEMA-supported legislation to abandon requirements for ethanol-blended gasoline.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation allowing the Illinois’ Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide information to gas stations encouraging them to offer E15 as an option for customers died when the legislature adjourned for the year.

Legislation allowing the state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide information to gas stations encouraging them to offer E15 as an option for customers died when the legislature adjourned for the year. The bill also allowed the department to provide information to gas stations on any financial assistance available to subsidize the cost of providing E15-blended fuel to consumers. The SEMA-opposed bill was introduced at a time when many states are proposing SEMA-supported legislation to abandon requirements for ethanol-blended gasoline.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation allowing the Illinois’ Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide information to gas stations encouraging them to offer E15 as an option for customers died when the legislature adjourned for the year.

Legislation allowing the state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide information to gas stations encouraging them to offer E15 as an option for customers died when the legislature adjourned for the year. The bill also allowed the department to provide information to gas stations on any financial assistance available to subsidize the cost of providing E15-blended fuel to consumers. The SEMA-opposed bill was introduced at a time when many states are proposing SEMA-supported legislation to abandon requirements for ethanol-blended gasoline.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to provide that antique vehicles and expanded-use antique vehicles are required to display registration plates only on the rear of the vehicle died when the legislature adjourned for the year.

Without having been given committee consideration, legislation to provide that antique vehicles and expanded-use antique vehicles are required to display registration plates only on the rear of the vehicle died when the legislature adjourned for the year. The bill also allowed expanded-use antique vehicles to be operated year-round with no restriction on destination or purpose.

Under current law, expanded-use antique vehicles can be only driven without limitation during the warmer part of the year (April 1 through October 31). They are limited to traveling to and from car shows, exhibitions, servicing or demonstration during the colder months (November 1 through March 31). Under the bill, the expanded-use antique registration plate would have been available at an annual fee of $45.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to provide that antique vehicles and expanded-use antique vehicles are required to display registration plates only on the rear of the vehicle died when the legislature adjourned for the year.

Without having been given committee consideration, legislation to provide that antique vehicles and expanded-use antique vehicles are required to display registration plates only on the rear of the vehicle died when the legislature adjourned for the year. The bill also allowed expanded-use antique vehicles to be operated year-round with no restriction on destination or purpose.

Under current law, expanded-use antique vehicles can be only driven without limitation during the warmer part of the year (April 1 through October 31). They are limited to traveling to and from car shows, exhibitions, servicing or demonstration during the colder months (November 1 through March 31). Under the bill, the expanded-use antique registration plate would have been available at an annual fee of $45.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to provide that antique vehicles and expanded-use antique vehicles are required to display registration plates only on the rear of the vehicle died when the legislature adjourned for the year.

Without having been given committee consideration, legislation to provide that antique vehicles and expanded-use antique vehicles are required to display registration plates only on the rear of the vehicle died when the legislature adjourned for the year. The bill also allowed expanded-use antique vehicles to be operated year-round with no restriction on destination or purpose.

Under current law, expanded-use antique vehicles can be only driven without limitation during the warmer part of the year (April 1 through October 31). They are limited to traveling to and from car shows, exhibitions, servicing or demonstration during the colder months (November 1 through March 31). Under the bill, the expanded-use antique registration plate would have been available at an annual fee of $45.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to increase biennial registration fees for motor vehicles died when the legislature adjourned for 2014.

Legislation to increase biennial registration fees for motor vehicles died when the legislature adjourned for 2014. The bill would have increased the registration fees for private passenger vehicles, excluding trucks, from $24 to $36 for persons under age 65. For persons 65 years old and older, the fees for private passenger vehicles, excluding trucks, would have risen from $20 to $32. In addition, the measure would have increased the registration fees for property-carrying vehicles 6,000 lbs. or less from $30 to $42 for persons 65 years old and older. For all other property-carrying vehicles, the fees would have risen incrementally depending on the vehicle weight. For example, fees for trucks weighing between 4,001 and 5,000 lbs. would have increased from $40 to $53.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to increase biennial registration fees for motor vehicles died when the legislature adjourned for 2014.

Legislation to increase biennial registration fees for motor vehicles died when the legislature adjourned for 2014. The bill would have increased the registration fees for private passenger vehicles, excluding trucks, from $24 to $36 for persons under age 65. For persons 65 years old and older, the fees for private passenger vehicles, excluding trucks, would have risen from $20 to $32. In addition, the measure would have increased the registration fees for property-carrying vehicles 6,000 lbs. or less from $30 to $42 for persons 65 years old and older. For all other property-carrying vehicles, the fees would have risen incrementally depending on the vehicle weight. For example, fees for trucks weighing between 4,001 and 5,000 lbs. would have increased from $40 to $53.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to increase biennial registration fees for motor vehicles died when the legislature adjourned for 2014.

Legislation to increase biennial registration fees for motor vehicles died when the legislature adjourned for 2014. The bill would have increased the registration fees for private passenger vehicles, excluding trucks, from $24 to $36 for persons under age 65. For persons 65 years old and older, the fees for private passenger vehicles, excluding trucks, would have risen from $20 to $32. In addition, the measure would have increased the registration fees for property-carrying vehicles 6,000 lbs. or less from $30 to $42 for persons 65 years old and older. For all other property-carrying vehicles, the fees would have risen incrementally depending on the vehicle weight. For example, fees for trucks weighing between 4,001 and 5,000 lbs. would have increased from $40 to $53.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By Linda Spencer

	Fullsize pickups, including the Ford Raptor and Toyota Tundra, and Jeep Wrangler and Land Cruiser are the vehicles of choice for truck enthusiasts in China.

The specialty-equipment market in China is booming, with perhaps no sector growing at a faster pace than the off-road market. Fullsize pickups, including the Ford Raptor and Toyota Tundra, and Jeep Wrangler and Land Cruiser are the vehicles of choice for truck enthusiasts.

With some distributors reporting 30% growth per year, more companies are jumping into the business, and each is trying to distinguish their business from the others by reaching new areas geographically (inland and other underserved markets), carrying products that are not yet on the market and getting into new markets, such as ATVs. This provides opportunities for U.S. manufacturers. Join us for the upcoming 2014 SEMA China Business Development Tour to Beijing and Shanghai.

SEMA members can connect with Chinese companies through face-to-face meetings with distributors at venues in both Beijing and Shanghai on 2014 SEMA China Business Development Tour. Limited slots and subsidies are available for qualified companies.

Benefits for participating SEMA members include:

• A first-hand look at the developing specialty-equipment market and an opportunity to meet with pre-vetted distributors and retailers from throughout China during stops in Shanghai and Beijing.

• The opportunity to exhibit at two events:

SEMA China Business Development Conference at Beijing-based Tuner Tribe.

SEMA Pavilion at the Shanghai-based China Auto Salon (CAS).

The U.S. Department of Commerce has partnered with SEMA to promote and subsidize the participation of U.S. specialty-equipment companies at the SEMA China Business Development Tour. Firms that certify the products promoted at the SEMA China Business Development Tour contain a minimum of 51% U.S. content may be eligible for a $1,250 grant per company and an additional $250 grant for each additional person from the same company.

Program costs include booth space at both events, hotel, meals, interpreters, access to buyers from throughout China and a bullet train from Shanghai to Beijing (flights to and from the United States are not included).

Register now for the 2014 SEMA China Business Development Tour. For more information, contact Linda Spencer at lindas@sema.org or visit sema.org/china.

Read the 2013 SEMA post-show report.