SEMA News—January 2013
FROM THE HILL
By Dan Sadowski
“A Woman’s Place Is in the Garage”
Congresswoman Jackie Speier Supports SEMA Mustang Build During Visit to 2012 SEMA Show
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At the SEMA Show, Rep. Speier briefed PWA members on the “Marketplace Equity Act,” legislation that would require companies selling goods via the Internet and catalogs to collect sales tax in the same manner as brick-and-mortar retailers. Rep. Speier is a co-sponsor of the bill.
Under a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court decision, states cannot currently force retailers to collect use taxes unless the company has a physical presence in the state or Congress authorizes collection. Given its diverse membership, SEMA has not taken a position on the proposed legislation to authorize collection.
Escorted by staff from SEMA’s government affairs office, Rep. Speier toured the SEMA Show floor and visited with exhibitors from her district, including GoPro (San Mateo) and Everlast Power Equipment (South San Francisco). These visits provided a snapshot of how SEMA members are impacting both the local and national economy.
Rep. Speier also met with SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) Chairman Marla Moore, Chair-Elect Rose Kawasaki and Ford Motor Co. representative Sherry Kollien at the SEMA Mustang Build—Powered by Women display in the Ford booth. Under the direction of SBN and built entirely by SBN members in partnership with Ford Motor Co. and Source Interlink Media, the project was designed to shine a light on women working in the automotive specialty-equipment market.|
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More than 40 SEMA-member companies donated products and services for the build, which includes custom paint, customized wheels, a custom leather interior, high-performance suspension and a new supercharger autographed by industry legend Vic Edelbrock.
Before departing, Rep. Speier toured the Vehicle Technology Center (VTC) and met with students from Clemson University’s ICAR program.
The VTC served as a venue to connect emerging-technology enthusiasts with the aftermarket’s advanced-technology offerings. It was also a forum to discuss a variety of issues, from high-performance synthetic oils to vehicle-to-vehicle sensors that warn drivers about impending collisions. The VTC included a display of a self-driving car equipped by Google Inc. with sophisticated 360-degree sensors.
SEMA is pleased to welcome members of Congress and other elected officials to the SEMA Show. For more information about inviting your elected representatives to the SEMA Show next year, please contact SEMA Director of Congressional Affairs Dan Sadowski at dans@sema.org.
California Legacy Plates: Governor Jerry Brown signed into law legislation to establish the California Legacy License Plate Program. Under the new law, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will create and issue a series of specialized license plates that replicate plates from the state’s past. Previously, classic-car owners could revive only well-maintained old plates that matched the vintage of their vehicles. Among other things, the new law will bring a retro look to modern license plates by allowing consumers to choose from one of three classic designs from the ’50s–’60s (black lettering on yellow background or yellow lettering on black background) and ’70s–’80s (yellow lettering on blue background). The law requires that at least 7,500 applications for any one particular plate must be received by the DMV by January 1, 2015.
California Tire Pressure: All California automobile service providers are required to check tire pressure for every vehicle weighing less than 10,000 lbs. being repaired at their facilities. The law applies to auto maintenance/repair providers but not to auto parts distributors/retailers, auto body/paint facilities, auto glass installers or wreckers/dismantlers. California enacted into law a bill that removes tire age as a reason to deny checking a vehicle’s tire pressure. The new law recognizes that there is no national tire-aging standard and referencing tire age in a California regulation creates liability exposure to the service and repair industry. The service provider still has the right to refuse to check the pressure if the tire is unsafe or damaged.
Pennsylvania Emissions Inspection: SEMA-supported legislation to provide a 10-year emissions inspection exemption for vehicles never before registered in Pennsylvania or any other jurisdiction was approved by the Senate. The bill now moves to the House Transportation Committee. Current law exempts only new vehicles that have fewer than 5,000 miles on their odometers for one year after their first registration. The bill acknowledges that it is senseless to test newer vehicles, the results of which demonstrate no significant air-quality benefits. The idea behind exempting any class of vehicles is to reduce costs while not losing appreciable emissions reductions. This strategy builds support for emissions inspection programs but also directs finite resources to where they will be most valuable in cleaning the air. The measure still requires that the newest 10 model-year vehicles be subject to visual anti-tampering inspections for the presence of emissions control components installed on the vehicles by manufacturers.
Flame Retardant Chemical Rules: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to increase the regulation of flame-retardant chemicals known as polybrominated diphenylether (PBDEs) that are added to plastics and many other materials. PBDEs decrease the likelihood of fires and, once started, slow the chemical reactions that drive oxygen-dependent fires. PBDEs are found in polystyrene, polyurethane foam, wire insulation and a variety of products, including automotive carpets and fabrics and electronic circuit boards. The EPA is proposing to effectively phase out decabromodiphenyl Ether (decaBDE) by December 2013. The EPA would also regulate six other chemicals, including octabromodiphenyl ether (octaBDE) and pentabromodiphenyl ether (pentaBDE), under the Toxic Substances Control Act’s Significant New Use Rule. This means companies that process the chemicals after 2013 would be required to notify the EPA and be subject to EPA approval at least 90 days in advance of producing a new product and, for octaBDE, pentaBDE and decaBDE, conduct health and environmental tests. The EPA has expressed concern that these PBDEs may pose liver, thyroid or other human health risks. Although many of the chemicals are no longer manufactured in the United States, they still appear in imported products or materials used to produce the goods. As of 2006, California already prohibits the manufacture, distribution and processing of octaBDE and pentaBDE.