By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff 

SEMA-supported legislation to reduce the annual registration fees charged for automobiles and light trucks died when the Legislature adjourned without the House having voted on the bill. Under the measure, which had been approved by the Senate, registration fees would have been reduced by $2.40 annually until a total decrease of $12 had been achieved, saving Florida taxpayers up to $220 million per year when fully implemented. 

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

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff 

SEMA-supported legislation to reduce the annual registration fees charged for automobiles and light trucks died when the Legislature adjourned without the House having voted on the bill. Under the measure, which had been approved by the Senate, registration fees would have been reduced by $2.40 annually until a total decrease of $12 had been achieved, saving Florida taxpayers up to $220 million per year when fully implemented. 

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

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff 

Legislation to require the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) to provide, for one year, a specially designed vintage reproduction registration plate to qualifying vehicle owners was signed into law by Governor Martin O’Malley. Under the new law, to be eligible to receive a vintage reproduction registration plate, the vehicle must be a passenger, small truck, historic, multipurpose or street-rod vehicle. The vintage reproduction plate will be designed to resemble the 1910 Maryland registration plate, which has black lettering on a yellow background. The MVA estimates that the additional cost to obtain the plates would be $20 and would take effect January 1, 2014. 

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

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff 

Legislation to require the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) to provide, for one year, a specially designed vintage reproduction registration plate to qualifying vehicle owners was signed into law by Governor Martin O’Malley. Under the new law, to be eligible to receive a vintage reproduction registration plate, the vehicle must be a passenger, small truck, historic, multipurpose or street-rod vehicle. The vintage reproduction plate will be designed to resemble the 1910 Maryland registration plate, which has black lettering on a yellow background. The MVA estimates that the additional cost to obtain the plates would be $20 and would take effect January 1, 2014. 

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

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff 

SEMA-supported legislation to allow off-road vehicles to operate on trails included in the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area was signed into law by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin. These trails are currently restricted to ATVs, dune buggy-type vehicles and motorcycles. In West Virginia, "off-road vehicles" are defined as motor vehicles that do not have low-pressure tires and which are constructed, manufactured or modified for off-road driving. Under the new law, licensed off-road vehicle operators will be required to be in possession of their registration and a valid driver’s license. 

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

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff 

SEMA-supported legislation to allow off-road vehicles to operate on trails included in the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area was signed into law by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin. These trails are currently restricted to ATVs, dune buggy-type vehicles and motorcycles. In West Virginia, "off-road vehicles" are defined as motor vehicles that do not have low-pressure tires and which are constructed, manufactured or modified for off-road driving. Under the new law, licensed off-road vehicle operators will be required to be in possession of their registration and a valid driver’s license. 

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

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff 

Working with state lawmakers, SEMA helped amend legislation that originally threatened to ban any covering that reduced the visibility of required motor-vehicle lighting. Under the amendment, which was approved by the Arkansas Legislature and signed into law by Governor Mike Beebe, these coverings would be prohibited only when required lamps are in use. SEMA expressed its concern that the original bill could be misinterpreted to include such items as removable ornamental lamp covers, which are often used for shows, exhibitions and street use during daylight hours.  

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

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff 

Working with state lawmakers, SEMA helped amend legislation that originally threatened to ban any covering that reduced the visibility of required motor-vehicle lighting. Under the amendment, which was approved by the Arkansas Legislature and signed into law by Governor Mike Beebe, these coverings would be prohibited only when required lamps are in use. SEMA expressed its concern that the original bill could be misinterpreted to include such items as removable ornamental lamp covers, which are often used for shows, exhibitions and street use during daylight hours.  

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

By SEMA Washington, D.C. Staff

Following years of debate, legislation to give states the ability to collect sales tax from out-of-state Internet and mail-order retailers passed the U.S. Senate. President Obama has signaled his support of the “Marketplace Fairness Act” (S. 743). However, the bill must still be approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. Given that SEMA represents both Internet retailers and brick-and-mortar stores, SEMA is neutral on the legislation.

Under a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court decision, states cannot force retailers to collect state sales/use taxes unless the company has a physical presence in the state (“nexus”). The legislation would provide states with this authority. It would also exempt sellers that make less than $1 million in total remote sales in the year preceding the sale from the requirement to collect the tax. 

The bill is constructed around acceptance of the Streamlined Sales Tax Project (SSTP)—a multi-state agreement to establish one uniform system to administer and collect sales taxes. Twenty-four states have adopted the simplification measures to date, thereby making them eligible to require sales tax collection if Congress enacts the legislation into law. Those states are: Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

By SEMA Washington, D.C. Staff

Following years of debate, legislation to give states the ability to collect sales tax from out-of-state Internet and mail-order retailers passed the U.S. Senate. President Obama has signaled his support of the “Marketplace Fairness Act” (S. 743). However, the bill must still be approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. Given that SEMA represents both Internet retailers and brick-and-mortar stores, SEMA is neutral on the legislation.

Under a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court decision, states cannot force retailers to collect state sales/use taxes unless the company has a physical presence in the state (“nexus”). The legislation would provide states with this authority. It would also exempt sellers that make less than $1 million in total remote sales in the year preceding the sale from the requirement to collect the tax. 

The bill is constructed around acceptance of the Streamlined Sales Tax Project (SSTP)—a multi-state agreement to establish one uniform system to administer and collect sales taxes. Twenty-four states have adopted the simplification measures to date, thereby making them eligible to require sales tax collection if Congress enacts the legislation into law. Those states are: Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.