Illinois SEMA Action Network clubs and contacts were able to defeat truly “extraordinary” Illinois legislation (H.B. 3399) that would have allowed county boards to declare certain operable vehicles on private property a nuisance and order their removal. Only vehicles registered as “historic” would have been exempt. Under current Illinois law, only inoperable vehicles can be targeted for removal.
Had H.B. 3399 passed, owners would have had only seven days to remove a vehicle before facing stiff fines. If the owner could not afford to move it, the vehicle could have been removed by the local law enforcement agency.
SEMA and Illinois hobbyists successfully argued that H.B. 3399 would grant county boards subjective and unchecked authority to label legally registered vehicles – including project vehicles - as nuisances, based solely on their appearance. This would make it increasingly difficult for hobbyists to work on collector vehicles on private property and would be unfair to low-income vehicle owners, many of whom depend on the low-cost transportation that older, and naturally less pristine, cars provide.
Without question, H.B. 3399 was overreaching legislation that could have trampled on the rights of Illinois vehicle collectors, customizers, restorers, and shade-tree mechanics. SEMA would like to highlight the efforts of the following Illinois SEMA Action Network member clubs in defeating this legislation: Northern Illinois Impala Club, Allante Appreciation Group, Southern Illinois Street Machines, Heartland Vintage Truck Club, Chicagoland Buick Club, Prairie A’s Antique Ford Club, Model A Ford Club of America -Salt Creek Chapter.