California SB 708, Recall Florez! Options

[need4speed]

If you live in California, and have a car made between 1973 and 1958, this bill (SB 708 sponsored by California Senator Florez) will make your previously smog-exempt car, be required to be fitted with all of it's original emissions-control systems.

Needless to say, I'm personally unhappy with this prospect, and I suspect a lot of the readers of this list will be too. Good news for those outside California - there will soon be a glut of cheap ex-California cars on the market!

Write your representatives!

This creep told our classic-car lobbyists that he intended to amend the bill. He lied. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/fighting19.gif)

[PatW]

Latest update from Smogrfg.com

http://www.geocities.com/smogrfg/sb708/the...trojanhorse.doc

SB708-Smoking Vehicles-California-Senator Dean Florez
A Trojan Horse -- This Bill Is Hostile To The Modified Market For
Classic Cars, Motorcycles and Late Model Imported Vehicles

Think “Notice To Correct”, “Notice To Correct”, “Notice To Correct”

SB708 would authorize counties to set up by ordinance Combined Vehicle Inspection and Sobriety Checkpoints. It would authorize checks and “Notice To Correct” for violations of unlawful motor vehicle discharges (i.e. modified emission systems). Read SB708 at http://www.sen.ca.gov, select legislation and SB708.

The bill was drafted with the intent of going after Smoking Vehicles, however in reality Vehicle Code 27153, Vehicle 23140 and Vehicle 23152 refer to Excessive Smoke, Flame, Oil, Gas, Fuel Residue, Drugs and Alcohol. The bill was initiated by SEMA (http://www.enjoythedrive.com/content/?id=8348) . SEMA is the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association.

This is a combined checkpoint for Excessive Smoke, Flame, Oil, Gas or Fuel Residue and drugs or alcohol. The Excessive Smoke Standard is that of an industrial smoke stack. The standard is obsolete. There is no standard for Flame, Oil, Gas or Fuel Residue. A Vehicle Check Point Stop may be setup anywhere. It is a step-by-step exercise in “Probable Cause” and the “Plain View Test”. While it may start with looking for a smoking vehicle, there is only a fine line in probable cause between a smoking vehicle and a modified emission system (The peace officer on the checkpoint).

While Flowmasters, Radical CAMS, Hood Scoops and Pro-Street Boosters are not illegal, they are some of the signs of a Modified. If CARB trains the peace officers what to look for Vehicle Code 27156 applies (No modifications to the emission system allowed). A peace officer only need write “This vehicle is modified—VC 27156” on a fix it ticket and you are destined for the BAR Smog Referee.

The website www.smogrfg.com is geared to Smog Check II, MTBE and Classic Cars. However, if implemented, SB708 could force Classic Cars, Modified Motorcycles and Late Model Modified Imports to go to the BAR Smog Referee. The Classic Car Industry alone is a 30 Billion Dollar Market.

This webmaster’s main interest is in Classic Cars. However, support of motorcyclists and modified imports everywhere is sought to form a strong lobby against this legislation.

Write to SEMA (http://www.enjoythedrive.com/content/?id=8348), Compose an EMAIL Letter to your State Legislators, Federal Legislators, Governor Gray Davis, and President Bush (http://www.congressweb.com/cweb4/index.cfm?orgcode=SEMA) Find your Legislator by Zipcode (http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html). See Senator Dean Florez’s Website (http://democrats.sen.ca.gov/senator/florez/) or email him at (senator.Florez@sen.ca.gov). As of June 6, this bill has moved to the Assembly, there is not a lot of time left. ACT NOW.

If not stopped this bill can send a lot of Modified Classic Cars, Motorcycles and Late Model Imports to the BAR Smog Referee. Your combined help is needed to stop the bill NOW.

Updates at http://www.smogrfg.com