North Carolina Bill to Restrict Headlamp Options Now to be Considered on Tues., June 25

After being postponed last week, legislation (S.B. 493) that would impose a fine on any person that equips a car with headlamps that “change the original design” will be considered by the North Carolina House Transportation Committee on Tuesday, June 25, 2013.  The bill directly conflicts with the Federal “National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act” which makes clear that the standards adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for required motor vehicle equipment (including headlamps) are to be performance standards, not design standards.

If You Have Not Already Done So, We Urge You to Contact Members of the House Transportation Committee (Contact Info Below) Immediately to Oppose S.B. 493

  • Federal law and regulations preempt state law with regard to required motor vehicle equipment.
     
  • S.B. 493 would impose a $100.00 fine on owners operating vehicles that have aftermarket headlamps that are otherwise legal for use under Federal law. 
     
  • S.B. 493 appears to target illegal high-intensity discharge (HID) conversion kits, which are already illegal under Federal law.  NHTSA has determined that it is impossible to produce HID conversion kits (converting a halogen system to HID) that are compliant with Federal standards.   

DON’T DELAY!  Please contact members of the North Carolina House Transportation Committee immediately by phone or e-mail to request their opposition to S.B. 493   

Please e-mail a copy of your letter to Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.  Also, please forward this Alert to your fellow car enthusiasts.  Urge them to join the SAN and help defend the hobby! Thank you for your assistance. 

North Carolina House Transportation Committee

To e-mail all Committee members, copy and paste the email address block below:

Bill.Brawley@ncleg.net; Frank.Iler@ncleg.net; Dana.Bumgardner@ncleg.net; Becky.Carney@ncleg.net; George.Cleveland@ncleg.net; Carl.Ford@ncleg.net; Phil.Shepard@ncleg.net; Dean.Arp@ncleg.net; Hugh.Blackwell@ncleg.net; Jamie.Boles@ncleg.net; William.Brisson@ncleg.net; Brian.Brown@ncleg.net; Rayne.Brown@ncleg.net; Rick.Catlin@ncleg.net; Tricia.Cotham@ncleg.net; Josh.Dobson@ncleg.net; Nelson.Dollar@ncleg.net; John.Faircloth@ncleg.net; Valerie.Foushee@ncleg.net; Rosa.Gill@ncleg.net; Ken.Goodman@ncleg.net; Charles.Graham@ncleg.net; Larry.Hall@ncleg.net; Susi.Hamilton@ncleg.net; Kelly.Hastings@ncleg.net; Yvonne.Holley@ncleg.net; Charles.Jeter@ncleg.net; Pat.McElraft@ncleg.net; Chuck.McGrady@ncleg.net; Deb.McManus@ncleg.net; Tim.Moffitt@ncleg.net; Rodney.Moore@ncleg.net; Tim.Moore@ncleg.net; Larry.Pittman@ncleg.net; Stephen.Ross@ncleg.net; Jason.Saine@ncleg.net; Jacqueline.Schaffer@ncleg.net; Edgar.Starnes@ncleg.net; Michael.Stone@ncleg.net; Evelyn.Terry@ncleg.net; Paul.Tine@ncleg.net; Joe.Tolson@ncleg.net; John.Torbett@ncleg.net; Winkie.Wilkins@ncleg.net

Representative William Brawley (Chair)
Phone: 919-733-5800
 
Representative Frank Iler (Chair)
Phone: 919-301-1450
 
Representative Dana Bumgardner (Vice-Chair)
Phone: 919-733-5809
 
Representative Becky Carney (Vice-Chair)
Phone: 919-733-5827
 
Representative George Cleveland (Vice-Chair)
Phone: 919-715-6707
 
Representative Carl Ford (Vice-Chair)
Phone: 919-733-5881
 
Representative Phil Shepard (Vice-Chair)
Phone: 919-715-9644
 
Representative Dean Arp
Phone: 919-715-3007
 
Representative Hugh Blackwell
Phone: 919-733-5805
 
Representative James Boles
Phone: 919-733-5903
 
Representative William Brisson
Phone: 919-733-5772
 
Representative Brian Brown
Phone: 919-733-5757
 
Representative Rayne Brown
Phone: 919-715-0873
 
Representative Rick Catlin
Phone: 919-733-5830
 
Representative Tricia Cotham
Phone: 919-715-0706
 
Representative Josh Dobson
Phone: 919-733-5862
 
Representative Nelson Dollar
Phone: 919-715-0795
 
Representative John Faircloth
Phone: 919-733-5877
 
Representative Valerie Foushee
Phone: 919-715-3019
 
Representative Rosa Gill
Phone: 919-733-5880
 
Representative Ken Goodman
Phone: 919-733-5823
 
Representative Charles Graham
Phone: 919-715-0875
 
Representative Larry Hall
Phone: 919-733-5872
 
Representative Susie Hamilton
Phone: 919-733-5754
 
Representative Kelly Hastings
Phone: 919-715-2002
 
Representative Yvonne Holley
Phone: 919-733-5758
 
Representative Charles Jeter
Phone: 919-733-5654
 
Representative Pat McElraft
Phone: 919-733-6275
 
Representative Chuck McGrady
Phone: 919-733-5956
 
Representative Deb McManus
Phone: 919-733-0057
 
Representative Tim Moffitt
Phone: 919-715-3012
 
Representative Rodney Moore
Phone: 919-733-5606
 
Representative Tim Moore
Phone: 919-733-4838
 
Representative Larry Pittman
Phone: 919-715-2009
 
Representative Stephen Ross
Phone: 919-733-5820
 
Representative Jason Saine
Phone: 919-733-5782
 
Representative Jacqueline Schaffer
Phone: 919-733-5886
 
Representative Edgar Starnes
Phone: 919-733-5931
 
Representative Michael Stone
Phone: 919-715-3026
 
Representative Evelyn Terry
Phone: 919-733-5777
 
Representative Paul Tine
Phone: 919-733-5906
 
Representative Joe Tolson
Phone: 919-715-3024
 
Representative John Torbett
Phone: 919-733-5868
 
Representative Winkie Wilkins
Phone: 919-715-0850