Owning a classic car is usually fairly simple, but some of the newer classics frequently struggle with the state’s smog-check laws. Senate Bill 712 may provide assistance from Sacramento.
“We are trying to bring back the old rolling exemption for a 35-year exemption to exclude classic cars,” said Bakersfield State Sen. Shannon Grove, who authored the bill.
The smog check exemption currently applies to cars model years 1975 and older, as it has since 2005. Under the new proposal, any vehicle 35 years old or older would be exempt as well. However, only true classics are insured as such, not vehicles used for regular transportation.
Sometimes having a known quantity on your side can help get a bill through the process, and Jay Leno, a well-known comedian and car collector, is assisting. The senator and the comic met at a charity event and began talking about classics. He is so supportive of her bill that she has dubbed it “Leno’s Law.”
a”Having someone like Jay Leno in your corner is a definite bonus,” said Jeff Romm, sales manager at Corvette Mike in Anaheim.
For over 40 years, that specialty dealership has sold Corvettes and other classic cars. The cars from the late 1970s and 1980s are gaining popularity as true classics, but they can be difficult to register in California due to the fragile rudimentary emissions systems they were originally equipped with. In some cases, previous out-of-state owners of the vehicles removed and discarded the components.
“The smog equipment either disappears or breaks. “It is extremely difficult to find and extremely expensive,” Romm explained.
Corvette Mike’s current inventory includes a 1980 Corvette with the optional L82 engine. The engine makes the car quite rare, and while it is modern in comparison to many of the other classic Corvettes in their showroom, it is now 45 years old. If the car is purchased by a California resident, it will still require a smog check every other year, unless the new bill passes.
Jay Leno returned to the comedy stage two weeks after sustaining serious burns in a gasoline fire.
Perhaps something is impeding the passage of this legislation? California is not only a hotbed of classic automobiles, but also of environmental activism.
“Obviously there is people out there from the environmental groups that think that we are trying to contaminate the air or not require smog checks, but that is just not true,” Grove told the crowd.
She is quick to point out that a change in the law would only affect a small percentage of the cars on the road, who drive very few miles. Grove also stated that the bill has received broad support from colleagues she has spoken with, including Republicans and Democrats. Many of her fellow legislators own classic cars and have pledged their support.
The bill will next be discussed by the Senate Transportation Committee in April. If approved, it would then be sent to the full Senate and Assembly for a vote. The final destination would be Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk.
If it makes it through the legislative process and is signed into law, the bill known as Leno’s Law may actually live up to its name.
