Montana Bill to Require Fenders on Hobbyist Vehicles Dies

A bill (H.B. 323) that would have required the use of fenders, splash aprons or mud flaps on vehicles not so originally equipped was defeated by the SEMA Action Network (SAN).  This requirement would have also included vehicles for which these items were not even required when the vehicle was manufactured.  Street rods, defined as a modified vehicle manufactured before 1949, would have retained the exemption from the fender requirement. 
  • H.B. 323 would have prohibited some specialty vehicles, including replicas and kit cars, from maintaining the same look as the original production vehicle, without having to add unnecessary fenders or other devices to comply with the law.
  • H.B. 323 demonstrated a lack of understanding of the vehicle hobby and the rights of hobbyists.