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State Legislative Caucus Unites Car-Loving Lawmakers
In its continuing efforts to promote and protect the auto hobby, SEMA and the SEMA Action Network (SAN) has partnered with state lawmakers from across the country in establishing the State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Caucus. Formed this year, the Caucus is a bi-partisan group of state lawmakers whose common thread is a love and appreciation for automobiles. To date, over 75 state legislators from California to New York and points in between are involved in the Caucus.
Montana State Senator John Brueggeman (who is serving as the Caucus chairman) said, “From pre-World War II classics to street rods to 60s-era musclecars to late model imports and everything in between, the automobile stands as a testimony to ingenuity and craftsmanship while serving as a source of recreation for tens of thousands of enthusiasts and collectors throughout the U.S. By joining the Caucus, these legislators have demonstrated their commitment to enabling this enthusiasm for years to come.”
Supported by SEMA’s Government Affairs office in Washington, D.C., the Caucus is anticipated to help raise the motor vehicle hobby’s profile in the state legislatures and in the eyes of the public. Working in state capitals, many of these legislators have sought to preserve and protect the hobby by improving existing motor vehicle statutes and creating new programs to safeguard and expand the hobby.
“Over the past several years, the work of these lawmakers has brought a series of significant legislative accomplishments for the vehicle enthusiast community on issues ranging from equipment standards to registration classifications, and from emissions test exemptions to hobbyist rights,” said Steve McDonald, SEMA’s vice president of government affairs. “Through the Caucus, automotive enthusiasts will now be able to quickly identify which state legislators have chosen to be recognized for their support of this great American hobby.”
For more information about the Caucus, visit the SAN website at www.semasan.com.
State Legislators Who Support the Hobby
State legislators around the country with a common goal to support the motor vehicle hobby have joined the State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Caucus. The Caucus is a bi-partisan group of state lawmakers whose common thread is a love and appreciation for automobiles. The Caucus will help raise the motor vehicle hobby’s profile in the state legislatures and in the eyes of the public. Working in state capitals, many of these legislators have sought to preserve and protect the hobby by seeking the amendment of existing motor vehicle statutes and creating new programs to safeguard and expand the hobby. Over the past several years, their work has brought a series of significant legislative accomplishments for the vehicle enthusiast community on issues ranging from equipment standards to registration classifications, and from emissions test exemptions to hobbyist rights. By joining the Caucus, these legislators have demonstrated their commitment to upholding the rights of vehicle enthusiasts. In addition, hobbyists will be able to quickly identify which state legislators have chosen to be recognized for their support of this great American hobby.
State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Caucus
Chairman:
Assemblymember Bill Reilich (New York)
Alabama
Senator Roger Bedford
Senator Bill Holtzclaw
Representative Mike Ball
Representative Daniel Boman
Representative Allen Farley
Representative Victor Gaston
Representative Laura Hall
Representative Johnny Morrow
Representative Randy Wood
Alaska
Senator Fred Dyson
Representative David Guttenberg
Representative Bob Herron
Representative Kyle Johansen
Arizona
Senator Ron Gould
Senator Linda Lopez
Representative Jack Harper
Representative Nancy McLain
Representative Lynne Pancrazi
Representative Jerry Weiers
Representative Vic Williams
Arkansas
Senator Gene Jeffress
Senator Johnny Key
Senator Mary Anne Salmon
Representative Denny Altes
Representative Nate Bell
Representative Charlie Collins
Representative Linda Collins-Smith
Representative Allen Kerr
Representative Homer Lenderman
California
Senator Joel Anderson
Senator Ron Calderon
Senator Bill Emmerson
Senator Ted Gaines
Senator Bob Huff
Senator Doug LaMalfa
Senator Gloria Negrete-McLeod
Senator George Runner
Assemblymember Jim Beall
Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes
Assemblymember Martin Garrick
Assemblymember Curt Hagman
Assemblymember Kevin Jeffries
Assemblymember Tony Mendoza
Colorado
Representative Mark Barker
Representative Millie Hamner
Representative Chris Holbert
Representative Pete Lee
Representative Larry Liston
Representative Marsha Looper
Representative Nancy Todd
Representative Edward Vigil
Connecticut
Senator Scott Frantz
Senator Robert Kane
Representative Penny Bacchiochi
Representative Toni Walker
Representative Zeke Zalaski
Delaware
Representative Harvey Kenton
Florida
Representative Eddy Gonzalez
Representative Ed Hooper
Georgia
Senator John Albers
Senator Bill Heath
Senator Chip Rogers
Representative Alex Atwood
Representative Josh Clark
Representative Terry England
Representative Bob Hanner
Representative Michele Henson
Representative Calvin Hill
Representative Pete Marin
Representative Howard Mosby
Representative Alan Powell
Representative Nikki Randall
Hawaii
Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland
Representative Henry Aquino
Representative Karen Awana
Representative Jerry Chang
Representative Angus McKelvey
Representative John Mizuno
Representative Jessica Wooley
Idaho
Senator Jim Hammond
Senator Lee Heider
Senator Steve Vick
Representative Marv Hagedorn
Representative Frank Henderson
Representative Bill Killen
Representative Janice McGeachin
Representative Kathleen Sims
Representative Rich Wills
Illinois
Senator Annazette Collins
Senator John Mulroe
Senator Suzi Schmidt
Representative Adam Brown
Representative Kay Hatcher
Representative Donald Moffitt
Representative Michelle Mussman
Representative Brandon Phelps
Representative Robert Pritchard
Representative Harry R. Ramey
Representative Al Riley
Representative Dennis Rosa
Representative Jim Sacia
Representative Ron Stephens
Indiana
Senator Jim Banks
Senator Brandt Hershman
Senator Travis Holdman
Senator Dennis Kruse
Senator Sue Landske
Senator Jim Tomes
Representative Brian Bosma
Representative Bill Friend
Representative Wes Culver
Representative Bill Davis
Representative Tom Knollman
Representative P. Eric Turner
Iowa
Senator Jeff Danielson
Senator Wally Horn
Senator Joe Seng
Representative Dwayne Alons
Representative Dave Deyoe
Representative Cecil Dolecheck
Representative Jarad Klein
Representative Jim Lykam
Representative Linda Upmeyer
Kansas
Senator Mike Petersen
Senator Chris Steineger
Representative Tom Arpke
Representative Bob Bethell
Representative Elaine Bowers
Representative Tom Burroughs
Representative Terry Calloway
Representative Jim Denning
Representative Gail Finney
Representative Doug Gatewood
Representative Mario Goico
Representative Jana Goodman
Representative Carl Holmes
Representative Mitch Holmes
Representative Jim Howell
Representative Harold Lane
Representative Judith Loganbill
Representative Peggy Mast
Representative Ray Merrick
Representative Michael Peterson
Representative Don Schroeder
Representative Joe Seiwert
Representative Bill Wolf
Kentucky
Senator Joe Bowen
Senator Tom Buford
Senator Jared Carpenter
Senator Joey Pendleton
Senator Dorsey Ridley
Senator Robin Webb
Representative Thomas Burch
Representative Mike Cherry
Representative Tim Couch
Representative Ted Edmonds
Representative Keith Hall
Representative Mike Harmon
Representative Richard Henderson
Representative Dennis Horlander
Representative Mary Lou Marzian
Representative Reginald Meeks
Representative Michael Meredith
Representative Ruth Ann Palumbo
Representative Jody Richards
Representative Tom Riner
Representative Brent Yonts
Louisiana
Senator A.G. Crowe
Senator Ben Nevers
Senator Francis Thompson
Senator Mike Walsworth
Representative Jeffery Arnold
Representative Damon Baldone
Representative Girod Jackson III
Representative John LaBruzzo
Representative Anthony Ligi
Representative Nickie Monica
Representative M.J. Smiley
Maine
Senator Lois Snowe-Mello
Representative Richard Cebra
Representative Dale Crafts
Representative Les Fossel
Representative Gary Knight
Representative Thomas Longstaff
Representative Ann Peoples
Representative Kerri L. Prescott
Representative Wes Richardson
Representative Linda Sanborn
Representative Michael Shaw
Representative Jeffrey Timberlake
Maryland
Senator Barry Glassman
Senator Katherine Klausmeier
Delegate Don Dwyer, Jr.
Delegate Barbara Frush
Delegate Cheryl Glenn
Delegate Michael Hough
Delegate Benjamin Kramer
Delegate Warren Miller
Delegate Wayne Norman
Delegate Steven Schuh
Delegate Jeffrey D. Waldstreicher
Delegate Jay Walker
Massachusetts
Representative Fred Barrows
Representative Steven Howitt
Representative James Murphy
Representative Dennis Rosa
Michigan
Senator Glenn Anderson
Senator Hoon-Yung Hopgood
Senator Joe Hune
Senator Rick Jones
Senator Mike Kowall
Representative David Agema
Representative Charles Brunner
Representative Douglas Geiss
Representative Ken Horn
Representative Brad Jacobsen
Representative Rick Jones
Representative Eileen Kowall
Representative Richard LeBlanc
Representative Chuck Moss
Representative John Proos
Representative John Walsh
Representative Dale Zorn
Minnesota
Senator Michael Jungbauer
Senator Jim Metzen
Senator Carla Nelson
Senator Katie Sieben
Senator David Tomassoni
Representative Jim Abeler
Representative Paul Anderson
Representative Joe Atkins
Representative Bob Barrett
Representative Mike Benson
Representative Kurt Bills
Representative Bob Dettmer
Representative Sondra Erickson
Representative Pat Garofalo
Representative Steve Gottwalt
Representative Rick Hansen
Representative Melissa Hortman
Representative Patti Fritz
Representative Carol McFarlane
Representative Ron Shimanski
Representative Kelby Woodard
Mississippi
Senator Hillman Frazier
Representative Richard Bennett
Representative Scott Delano
Representative Roger Ishee
Representative Ken Morgan
Representative Dannie Reed
Representative Walter Robinson Jr.
Missouri
Senator Brian Nieves
Senator Mike Parson
Representative T.J. Berry
Representative Joe Fallert
Representative Tim Jones
Representative Mike Kelley
Representative Brent Lasater
Representative Thomas Long
Representative Tom McDonald
Representative Eileen McGeoghegan
Representative Jay Swearingen
Representative Don Wells
Representative Paul Wieland
Representative Billy Pat Wright
Montana
Senator Jeff Essmann
Senator Tom Facey
Senator Jon Sonju
Senator Ryan Zinke
Representative Christy Clark
Representative Gordon Hendrick
Representative Douglas Kary
Representative Steve Lavin
Representative Mike Miller
Representative Wayne Stahl
Nebraska
Senator Colby Coash
Senator Heath Mello
Senator Jeremy Nordquist
Nevada
Senator David Parks
Senator Moises (Mo) Denis
Senator Mark Manendo
Assemblymember Richard Carrillo
Assemblymember Ed Goedhart
Assemblymember John Oceguera
Assemblymember Lynn Stewart
New Hampshire
Senator Andy Sanborn
Representative Gary Azarian
Representative Gail Barry
Representative Paul Brown
Representative Gene Charron
Representative Daniel Eaton
Representative Jack Flanagan
Representative Frank Holden
Representative Robert Introne
Representative Kenneth Kreis
Representative Michael McCarthy
Representative Carol McGuire
Representative Keith Murphy
Representative Jeffrey Oligny
Representative Sherman Packard
Representative Lawrence Perkins
Representative Joe Pitre
Representative Mark Proulx
Representative Steven Smith
Representative James Webb
Representative Ken Weyler
New Jersey
Assemblymember Gary Chiusano
Assemblymember Upenda Chivukula
Assemblymember Alison Littell McHose
Assemblymember Erik Peterson
Assemblymember Charlotte Vandervalk
New Mexico
Senator Clinton Harden
Representative Jimmie C. Hall
Representative Rudy Martinez
Representative Bill Rehm
Representative Bob Wooley
New York
Senator Greg Ball
Senator Jeff Klein
Senator Thomas Libous
Senator Thomas O'Mara
Assemblymember George Amedore
Assemblymember William Barclay
Assemblymember Philip Boyle
Assemblymember Daniel Burling
Assemblymember Marc Butler
Assemblymember Nancy Calhoun
Assemblymember Robert Castelli
Assemblymember John Cerretto
Assemblymember James Conte
Assemblymember Clifford Crouch
Assemblymember Janet Duprey
Assemblymember Steve Englebright
Assemblymember Gary Finch
Assemblymember Mike Fitzpatrick
Assemblymember Dennis Gabryszak
Assemblymember Joseph Giglio
Assemblymember Andy Goodell
Assemblymember Sean Hanna
Assemblymember Steve Hawley
Assemblymember Mark Johns
Assemblymember Brian Kolb
Assemblymember Peter Lopez
Assemblymember Daniel Losquadro
Assemblymember Donna Lupardo
Assemblymember David McDonough
Assemblymember Steven F. McLaughlin
Assemblymember Marcus Molinaro
Assemblymember Mike Montesano
Assemblymember Bob Oaks
Assemblymember Edward Ra
Assemblymember Andrew Raia
Assemblymember Bill Reilich
Assemblymember Joseph Saladino
Assemblymember Teresa Sayward
Assemblymember Mark Schroeder
Assemblymember Kevin Smardz
Assemblymember Lou Tobacco
Assemblymember James Tedisco
North Carolina
Representative Kelly Alexander
Representative Marilyn Avila
Representative John Blust
Representative Larry Brown
Representative Becky Carney
Representative George Cleveland
Representative Tricia Ann Cotham
Representative William Current
Representative Bill Faison
Representative Phillip Frye
Representative Rosa Gill
Representative Kelly Hastings
Representative Julia Howard
Representative Frank Iler
Representative Tim Moore
Representative Shirley B. Randleman
Representative Mitchell Setzer
Representative Fred Steen, II
North Dakota
Senator Dick Dever
Senator James Dotzenrod
Senator Tom Fischer
Senator Judy Lee
Senator Elroy Lindaas
Representative Dick Anderson
Representative Chuck Damschen
Representative Craig Headland
Representative Jerry Kelsh
Representative David Monson
Representative Mark Owens
Representative Robin Weisz
Representative Alon Wieland
Ohio
Representative Lynn Wachtmann
Representative Kenny Yuko
Oklahoma
Senator Mark Allen
Senator Kim David
Senator David Myers
Representative Dennis Casey
Representative Scott Inman
Representative Danny Morgan
Representative Colby Schwartz
Representative Cory Williams
Oregon
Representative Jeff Barker
Representative Brian Clem
Pennsylvania
Senator Daylin Leach
Senator Tim Solobay
Senator Michael Waugh
Representative John Bear
Representative Stephen Bloom
Representative Scott Conklin
Representative Dom Costa
Representative Bryan Cutler
Representative Peter Daley
Representative John Evans
Representative Rick Geist
Representative Marcia Hahn
Representative Gary Haluska
Representative Michael Hanna
Representative Patrick Harkins
Representative Dick Hess
Representative Nick Kotik
Representative John Lawrence
Representative Mark Longietti
Representative Eddie Day Pashinski
Representative John Payne
Representative Tony Payton, Jr.
Representative Scott Perry
Representative Curt Sonney
Rhode Island
Senator William Walaska
South Carolina
Senator Larry Martin
Representative Dan Hamilton
Representative J. Gary Simrill
Representative Tommy Stringer
South Dakota
Senator Jim Hundstad
Senator Jim Putnam
Representative Thomas Brunner
Representative Elaine M. Elliot
Representative Steve Hickey
Representative Charles Hoffman
Representative Mark Kirkeby
Representative Tona Rozum
Representative Mark Willadsen
Tennessee
Representative Harry Brooks
Representative Vince Dean
Representative JoAnne Favors
Representative Craig Fitzhugh
Representative Sherry Jones
Representative Charles Michael Sargent
Representative Mike Sparks
Representative John Tidwell
Representative Joe Towns
Representative Mark White
Texas
Representative Wayne Christian
Representative Garnet Coleman
Representative Larry Gonzales
Representative Patricia Harless
Representative Charlie Howard
Representative Edmund Kuempel
Representative Sid Miller
Representative Joe Pickett
Representative Van Taylor
Representative James White
Utah
Senator Gene Davis
Senator Scott Jenkins
Senator Howard Stephenson
Representative Tim Cosgrove
Representative Gage Froerer
Representative Neal Hendrickson
Representative Gregory Hughes
Representative Curtis Oda
Representative Patrick Painter
Representative Stephen Sandstrom
Representative Kenneth Sumsion
Vermont
Senator Joe Benning
Senator Kevin Mullin
Senator Richard Westman
Virginia
Senator John Edwards
Senator Emmett Hanger
Senator L. Louise Lucas
Delegate Daniel Marshall
Delegate Mark L Keam
Delegate Sam Nixon
Delegate Dave Nutter
Delegate G. Glenn Oder
Delegate Kenneth Plum
Delegate Tom Rust
Delegate Mark Sickles
Delegate Ron A. Villanueva
Delegate Onzlee Ware
Washington
Senator Mike Carrell
Senator Jerome Delvin
Senator Jim Honeyford
Representative Mike Armstrong
Representative Jan Angel
Representative Cary Condotta
Representative Larry Crouse
Representative Bob Hasegawa
Representative Troy Kelley
Representative Ed Orcutt
Representative Marcie Maxwell
West Virginia
Senator Bob Beach
Senator Dave Sypolt
Delegate John Ellem
Delegate Ron Fragale
Delegate Gary Howell
Delegate Virginia Mahan
Delegate Cliff Moore
Delegate Harry Keith White
Wisconsin
Senator Mary Lazich
Senator Van Wanggaard
Representative Ed Brooks
Senator Glenn Grothman
Representative Steve Kestell
Representative John Nygren
Representative Roger Rivard
Wyoming
Senator Ogden Driskill
Representative Stan Blake
Representative Pat Childers
Representative Bunky Loucks
Representative Sue Wallis
LEGISLATIVE QUICK HITS
[Editor’s note: The following is an update on legislation that is currently pending before state legislatures across the country. In addition, several states meet in two year legislative cycles and bills that were not passed this year will automatically be “carried over” to 2006.]
Massachusetts Street Rods/Custom Vehicles: Two separate but identical SEMA model bills are pending in Massachusetts. The bills would create a vehicle registration classification for street rods and custom vehicles and provide for special license plates for these vehicles. Both bills would allow kit cars and replica vehicles to be assigned a certificate of title bearing the same model year designation as the production vehicle it most closely resembles. A committee hearing has not yet been scheduled.
Massachusetts Exhaust Noise: A SAN-opposed bill to ban the sale or installation of “an exhaust system that has been modified in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the exhaust” is again pending in Massachusetts. It has been revised from last year’s version to exclude limited-use “antique motor cars.” Like previous efforts, the bill does not supply law enforcement with a clear standard to enforce and would make it difficult for hobbyists to replace factory exhaust systems with more durable, better performing options. A committee hearing has not yet been scheduled.
Michigan Occasional Use: The SAN continues to work to gather support for legislation that would amend Michigan’s current law defining historic vehicles. The bill would allow these vehicles to take advantage of “other occasional use.” Under current Michigan law, use of historic vehicles is strictly limited to club activities, exhibitions, tours and parades. Many Michigan vehicle owners whose cars qualify for the historic registration class have chosen to register as “daily drivers” to avoid the limited use restrictions and are, by consequence, paying the higher fees required of cars that are registered under this class.
New Jersey Exhaust Noise: The SAN continues to work to amend a bill that would require the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to prescribe a decibel limit to which all aftermarket mufflers sold in the state would be certified to operate. The bill gives no instruction as to what the decibel limit should be. In some states, noise limits for modified exhaust systems are established by a SEMA model bill and applicable to an easy to administer test standard. The SEMA model provides for the testing of vehicle exhaust noise to a standard adopted by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) with an established noise limit of 95-decibels (SAE J1169).
New York Historic Fees: A SAN-supported bill would provide that historical vehicle owners pay only a one-time registration fee of $23 upon initial registration. The reduced registration fee would be available to owners of historical vehicles owned and operated as an exhibition piece or collector’s item and used for club activities, exhibits, tours, parades, occasional transportation and similar uses. The $23 one-time fee would replace the current annual fee of $23. The bill is being carried over to 2006.
New York Spinner Hubcaps: SAN-opposed legislation that would have prohibited the sale and use of motor vehicles equipped with spinner hubcaps died in New York when the session adjourned for the year. The bill would have subjected vehicle owners to fines of up to $750 for a third or subsequent violation. Those convicted of selling spinne