SEMA, working on behalf of California specialty-vehicle enthusiasts (street rods, custom vehicles, kit cars and replicas) and in cooperation with the Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Automotive Repair, Air Resources Board and Attorney General’s office, has resolved a complex and threatening issue to this market segment and the industry it serves.

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has announced its decision to permanently close the popular 39-mile Upper Tellico River OHV trail system in North Carolina due to erosion concerns.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced its intention to regulate “recreational off-highway vehicles” (ROVs), rejecting as inadequate a voluntary industry standard.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law legislation which bans the manufacture, sale and use of lead wheel weights in California effective January 1, 2010.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended that hydrofluoroolefin (HFO-1234yf) be considered an acceptable substitute for chlorofluorocarbon “CFC-12” (also known as R-12 or Freon-12) in vehicle air-conditioning systems.

The Senate Finance Committee approved its version of a health care overhaul, joining four other House and Senate Committees that have already considered the legislation. The leadership will now merge the measures into a single House and Senate bill to be debated on the floor of each chamber during the next several weeks.

Beginning January 1, 2010, the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) will include light- and medium-duty, on-road diesel vehicles in its smog-check program.

SEMA’s Government Affairs Office has compiled a comprehensive guide on how motor-vehicle parts are regulated by the federal government: www.sema.org/federal-regulation-aftermarket-parts. It is a must-read document for every SEMA member.

Companies are now allowed to transfer monies for unused vacation or sick-leave into a worker’s 401(k), Keogh or profit-sharing plan.