By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

After weeks spent under stay-at-home orders designed to halt the spread of COVID-19, many states have taken the first steps toward loosening restrictions and reopening their economies.

SEMA has compiled a continuously updated state-by-state directory of closures and openings, including businesses and workers deemed essential during COVID-19. The webpage includes best practices for reopening published by government and industry. Businesses are encouraged to consult state and local law when deciding to reopen.

Below are examples of actions states have taken to reopen certain businesses while practicing safe social distancing:

• Alaska: restaurants, retail stores and nonessential businesses, including hair and nail salons, could reopen on April 24 under certain conditions.
• Colorado: retail businesses could reopen for curbside pickup on April 27 and real estate showings could resume. Personal care businesses may reopen with precautions starting on May 1.
• Georgia: gyms, hair and nail salons, bowling alleys and tattoo parlors could reopen on April 24. Restaurants could resume limited dine-in service on April 27, and movie theaters were also allowed to reopen.
• Minnesota: employees in certain agriculture, industrial (including manufacturing) and office settings could return to work on April 27.
• Mississippi: retail stores could reopen at 50% capacity on April 27.
• Montana: retail businesses could reopen with reduced capacity on April 27. Restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries and casinos can reopen on May 4 under reduced capacity.
• Oklahoma: restrictions were lifted on salons, barbers and pet groomers on April 24. Restaurants, movie theaters, gyms, houses of worship and sporting venues are likely to be allowed to reopen on May 1 under certain conditions.
• South Carolina: retail stores could reopen at 20% capacity starting on April 20.
• Tennessee: restaurants could reopen in 89 counties at 50% capacity on April 27. Retail stores followed on April 29.
• Texas: retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters and malls may reopen on May 1 at 25% capacity.

For more information, please contact Christian Robinson at christianr@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Many politicians grow up dreaming of the day they will run for office. Their young adult lives are a series of tactical steps designed to build a narrative they can use as a springboard to get elected. U.S. Representative Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) took a different path, growing a family business while competing in action-packed pursuits ranging from rock crawling to mixed martial arts. Personal touches like custom wheels and tires, a cowl induction hood and window tint give Rep. Mullin’s dropped ’72 Chevy C-10 pickup a distinct attitude. Find out more information on the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

Watch the video below to learn more about Rep. Mullin, an advocate for the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act. Send a letter asking your legislator to support the RPM Act and protect the future of motorsports.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Many politicians grow up dreaming of the day they will run for office. Their young adult lives are a series of tactical steps designed to build a narrative they can use as a springboard to get elected. U.S. Representative Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) took a different path, growing a family business while competing in action-packed pursuits ranging from rock crawling to mixed martial arts. Personal touches like custom wheels and tires, a cowl induction hood and window tint give Rep. Mullin’s dropped ’72 Chevy C-10 pickup a distinct attitude. Find out more information on the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

Watch the video below to learn more about Rep. Mullin, an advocate for the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act. Send a letter asking your legislator to support the RPM Act and protect the future of motorsports.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Many politicians grow up dreaming of the day they will run for office. Their young adult lives are a series of tactical steps designed to build a narrative they can use as a springboard to get elected. U.S. Representative Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) took a different path, growing a family business while competing in action-packed pursuits ranging from rock crawling to mixed martial arts. Personal touches like custom wheels and tires, a cowl induction hood and window tint give Rep. Mullin’s dropped ’72 Chevy C-10 pickup a distinct attitude. Find out more information on the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

Watch the video below to learn more about Rep. Mullin, an advocate for the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act. Send a letter asking your legislator to support the RPM Act and protect the future of motorsports.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Many politicians grow up dreaming of the day they will run for office. Their young adult lives are a series of tactical steps designed to build a narrative they can use as a springboard to get elected. U.S. Representative Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) took a different path, growing a family business while competing in action-packed pursuits ranging from rock crawling to mixed martial arts. Personal touches like custom wheels and tires, a cowl induction hood and window tint give Rep. Mullin’s dropped ’72 Chevy C-10 pickup a distinct attitude. Find out more information on the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

Watch the video below to learn more about Rep. Mullin, an advocate for the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act. Send a letter asking your legislator to support the RPM Act and protect the future of motorsports.

By SEMA Editors

Latest Jobs Added to SEMA Career Center

Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest jobs posted to the website.

eCommerce/Digital Salesperson
LGE-CTS Motorsports is hiring an eCommerce/digital salesperson with knowledge of the off-road side of the industry as well as working with online sales and marketing. Candidates must demonstrate a solid background and understanding in sales, technology and interpersonal communication. eCommerce experience is preferred.

Head Automotive Technician
AAM Competition is hiring a head automotive technician with strong automotive experience to install high-performance parts and perform regular scheduled maintenance. Candidates must have more than five years’ automotive shop experience, a strong understanding of vehicle wiring diagrams and electronics and the ability to pull an engine out of a vehicle and reinstall it.

Assistant Track Manager
M1 Concourse is seeking an assistant track manager to work in close partnership with the director of track operations. This position will support many aspects of track operations, including corporate driving events, motorsports club activities and private instructional coaching. The ideal candidate must have exceptional driving skills, be an effective driving coach and communicator and be able to effectively lead a team of driving instructors. A minimum of five years of experience instructing and coaching drivers of all skill levels is required. A minimum of 10 years of experience as an amateur or professional racing driver is preferred.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) granted exclusion requests for 108 List 3 products imported from China and subject to 25% tariffs. The products cover a wide variety of commodities including several auto parts, such as:

• Tire chains of iron or nonalloy steel with links not more than 10 mm in diameter (HTS 7315.82.5000).
• Certain parts for spark-ignition internal combustion piston engines of heading 8407 (but not for vehicles of subheading 8701.2 or 8702, 8703 or 8704. (HTS 8409.91.9990).
• DC blowers for use in motor vehicle climate control systems (HTS 8414.59.6540).
• DC centrifugal radial blowers (HTS 8414.59.6560).
• Certain electric gear motors and electric motors other than gear motors (HTS 8501.40.2020, 8501.40.2040, 8501.40.4020, 8501.40.4040).
• Steel tire carrier attachments, roof racks, fender liners, side protective attachments (HTS 8708.29.5060).
• Road wheels of cast aluminum for vehicles of heading 8703 (HTS 8708.70.4545 or 8708.70.4548).
• Heater coils for use with the motor vehicles of headings 8701 to 8705, composed of steel, copper, aluminum and plastic (HTS 8708.99.8180).
• Hitch riser plates of AISI 8620 alloy steel (HTS 8708.99.8180).
• Certain hitches of power-coated steel designed to distribute weight or for mounting in the bed of a truck (HTS 8708.99.8180).

View the entire list.

The time period for List 3 exclusions is September 24, 2018, to August 7, 2020, regardless of when the exclusion request was granted. The time period for requesting an exclusion ended September 30, 2019.

An exclusion is product specific, not company specific. That means a company which did not request the exclusion may still benefit although the benefit may be narrowly applied.  For example, the beneficiary company may need to demonstrate that its product’s technical specifications are related, and the product can be used in the same manner as the excluded product.

Questions? Contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) granted exclusion requests for 108 List 3 products imported from China and subject to 25% tariffs. The products cover a wide variety of commodities including several auto parts, such as:

• Tire chains of iron or nonalloy steel with links not more than 10 mm in diameter (HTS 7315.82.5000).
• Certain parts for spark-ignition internal combustion piston engines of heading 8407 (but not for vehicles of subheading 8701.2 or 8702, 8703 or 8704. (HTS 8409.91.9990).
• DC blowers for use in motor vehicle climate control systems (HTS 8414.59.6540).
• DC centrifugal radial blowers (HTS 8414.59.6560).
• Certain electric gear motors and electric motors other than gear motors (HTS 8501.40.2020, 8501.40.2040, 8501.40.4020, 8501.40.4040).
• Steel tire carrier attachments, roof racks, fender liners, side protective attachments (HTS 8708.29.5060).
• Road wheels of cast aluminum for vehicles of heading 8703 (HTS 8708.70.4545 or 8708.70.4548).
• Heater coils for use with the motor vehicles of headings 8701 to 8705, composed of steel, copper, aluminum and plastic (HTS 8708.99.8180).
• Hitch riser plates of AISI 8620 alloy steel (HTS 8708.99.8180).
• Certain hitches of power-coated steel designed to distribute weight or for mounting in the bed of a truck (HTS 8708.99.8180).

View the entire list.

The time period for List 3 exclusions is September 24, 2018, to August 7, 2020, regardless of when the exclusion request was granted. The time period for requesting an exclusion ended September 30, 2019.

An exclusion is product specific, not company specific. That means a company which did not request the exclusion may still benefit although the benefit may be narrowly applied.  For example, the beneficiary company may need to demonstrate that its product’s technical specifications are related, and the product can be used in the same manner as the excluded product.

Questions? Contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.