In response to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) withdrawal of a proposal to require employers with 10 or more workers to record certain work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in their OSHA 300 Log, a series of teleconferences has been scheduled to obtain feedback from the small-business community.

SEMA is supporting Nevada legislation to repeal a 2009 increase in the valuation of older vehicles for the purpose of assessing the yearly government services tax. The 2009 increase raised the tax assessment from 5% to 15% of the initial value of a vehicle nine years old and older.

SEMA is opposing Iowa legislation to change labeling requirements on gas pumps across the state to only require labeling for unblended gasoline and E85. Current law in Iowa requires labeling when gasoline is blended with ethanol, in any amount.

The Arizona Senate approved legislation to exempt all vehicles more than 25 years old from the state’s mandatory biennial emissions inspection and maintenance program.

SEMA-model legislation to create a vehicle titling and registration classification for street rods and custom vehicles was approved by the House Transportation Committee. The bill now needs to be approved by the House Rules Committee before making its way to the floor for a vote by all House members.

As a result of the opposition mounted by SEMA and North Dakota vehicle hobbyists and businesses, legislation that threatened to prohibit the modification of any motor vehicle that altered the manufacturer's original suspension, steering or brake system unless the state highway patrol issued an inspection certificate has been amended to remove those restrictions.

SEMA-supported legislation to allow vehicles 30 years old and older to be classified as “vintage vehicles” was signed into law by Utah Governor Gary Herbert. Under previous law, Utah reserved the “vintage vehicle” class only to vehicles 40 years old and older.

Everyone agrees that taking strides toward keeping our planet healthy is a noble cause, but how should the burden be shared? Clean air is a national concern addressed by the EPA, but laws governing smog checks, such as which vehicles are tested and how often they are tested, are handled at the state and local level.

SEMA-supported legislation to exempt vehicles more than 25 years old from the state’s annual emissions-inspection and maintenance program will be considered by the Tennessee House Conservation and Environment Committee.

SEMA-supported legislation to provide for an expanded-use antique-vehicle registration class that would allow antique vehicles and replicas to be driven without limitation during the warmer part of the year, from April 1 through October 31, has been approved by the Illinois House Transportation Committee.