After much sweat and hard work, a bill created by the SEMA Action Network (SAN) to exempt vehicles 25 years old and older from Virginia's mandatory emissions inspections was finally signed into law by Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore on March 7, 2000.
This new law creates a rolling 25-year emissions testing exemption, excusing pre-1975 vehicles immediately and picking up an additional model year for each year the law is in effect. In the past, Virginia only exempted vehicles manufactured prior to the 1968 model year. Director of the SEMA Action Network Brian Caudill noted, "This new law recognizes that old cars are unique and worthy of protection. This law is also a testament to the determination of Virginia's hobbyist community who have fought for this emissions exemption for 2 long years." Virginia SAN contacts will recall that last year's fight for an emissions exemption was killed in a last-minute legislative procedural maneuver.
In particular SEMA would like to highlight the efforts of the following Virginia SAN clubs for their efforts in getting this bill passed: Virginia Automobile Protective Society, Southwest Virginia Car Club Council, Central Virginia Car Club Council, Roanoke Valley Mopar Club, Northern Virginia Corvette Club, Southeastern Virginia Mustang Club, and Virginia members of the United Four-Wheel-Drive Associations.