Virginia legislation (H.B. 288) that threatened to restrict pleasure driving of antique motor vehicles to a range not more than 50 miles from the owner’s residence has been withdrawn by the bill’s sponsor. The bill also sought to clarify that antique vehicles may not be used for work-related travel, while legislators considered including antique cars in the state’s mandatory annual safety inspection program, claiming that many are unsafe “junkers.”
In a message to SEMA Action Network (SAN), Virginia Delegate Danny Marshall said, “Thanks for your e mail. I am not trying to hurt the person who has a 1968 Dodge Hemi Cuda, but the person who has a 25+ year old Dodge Dart that the brakes do not work. We will work to make this happen. The bill is off the docket for this year.”
Congratulations to all the Virginia car clubs and councils, individual enthusiasts and members of the SEMA business community who worked so tirelessly to derail this bill. As the message from Delegate Marshall indicates, we will need to be equally vigilant next year to avert unnecessary and unfair changes to the Virginia antique statute.
Congratulations again!