The February version of SEMA’s Consumer Demand Index is now available at www.sema.org/research/padi. The index this month rose to 35, up four points from January 2010. Overall, 9% of respondents indicated that they have plans to purchase specialty-equipment products sometime in the next three months.

SEMA is opposing legislation in the Michigan legislature that threatens to change the $30 registration fee for historic motor vehicles (renewable every 15 years) to an annual fee.

Legislators around the country have kept busy authoring bills that could impact the specialty-equipment industry. Here's how to stay updated and ensure that representatives hear your voice.

The industry's future depends on collective input, and nominations for 2010 SEMA Council and Committee elections are open to any member company representative.

Organizers plan to give the Paint, Body & Equipment section more prominence at 2010 SEMA Show.

Exhibitor applications for the 2010 SEMA Show will be available in mid-March on www.SEMAShow.com. Forms must be returned by May 7 in order to participate in the priority space selection process.

According to Kansas legislators, support for a SEMA-opposed bill that would allow cities to enforce “nuisance abatement” procedures by notifying affected property owners by use of first-class mail instead of certified mail (with a return receipt) has been withdrawn.

SEMA is supporting a bill in the Oklahoma Legislature to reduce the annual registration fee for vehicles 25 years old and older to $5. Under current law, these vehicles are assessed at a rate of $15 per year.