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Arizona Introduces Bill to Exempt Older Vehicles from Emissions Tests

19K views 32 replies 17 participants last post by  ChrisM86 
#1 ·
SEMA SAN - SEMA ACTION NETWORK

The committee hearing on the bill (S.B. 1324) to exempt all vehicles more than 25-years old from the state’s mandatory biennial emissions inspection and maintenance program has been rescheduled. Originally scheduled for Feb. 7, 2011, the bill will now be heard in the Senate Natural Resources and Transportation Committee on Feb. 14.

We Urge You to Contact Members of the Arizona Senate Natural Resources and Transportation Committee (List Attached Below) Immediately to Request Their Support for S.B. 1324

For those interested in attending the hearing to voice support, the Committee will meet on Mon., Feb.14 at the following address:

Senate Hearing Room 109
Arizona State Senate
Capitol Complex
1700 West Washington
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2890

• Existing law in Arizona only exempts pre-1967 model year vehicles and those vehicles designated as “collectible.”

• Under Arizona law, a “collectible vehicle" is a vehicle that is at least fifteen years old or of a unique or rare design, of limited production and an object of curiosity. Collectible vehicles must be maintained primarily for use in car club activities, exhibitions, parades or other functions of public interest and used only infrequently for other purposes and have a collectible vehicle or classic automobile insurance policy that restricts the collectible vehicle’s mileage and/or use to qualify for the current collectible vehicle emissions exemption. To qualify for the exemption, the owner must also own a secondary vehicle for general transportation.

• S.B. 1324 provides for a rolling emissions inspection exemption that would exempt qualifying vehicles upon enactment and would pick up an additional model year for each year the law is in effect.

• S.B. 1324 acknowledges the relatively minimal environmental impact of older vehicles, such as the historic cars targeted for this exemption.

• S.B. 1324 recognizes that such vehicles constitute a small portion of the vehicle fleet and are well-maintained and infrequently operated.

DON’T DELAY! Please contact members of the Arizona Senate Natural Resources and Transportation Committee immediately by phone or e-mail to request their support for S.B. 1324.

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.

Arizona Senate Natural Resources and Transportation Committee

Senator John Nelson - Chairman
Phone: 602/926-5872
Email: jnelson@azleg.gov

Senator Russell Pierce - Vice-Chairman
Phone: 602/926-5760
Email: rpearce@azleg.gov

Senator Olivia Cajero Bedford
Phone: 602/926-5835
Email: ocajerobedford@azleg.gov

Senator Gail Griffin
Phone: 602/926-5895
Email: ggriffin@azleg.gov

Senator Jack Jackson
Phone: 602/926-5862
Email: jjackson@azleg.gov

Senator Don Shooter
Phone: 602/926-4139
Email: dshooter@azleg.gov
 
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#6 ·
I say it be the opposite. Relax the testing for newer cars and test the old ones.

Its a brand new car can it really be that poluting that much after, say 5 years.
 
#8 ·
I agree, as generally speaking modern cars are pretty clean in terms of pollution.

I went and read the actual proposed law (that SEMA's posts always seem to be missing). Apparently, new cars under 6 years old don't need testing. So this law would change emissions testing to only apply for cars 6-25 years old. Cars from 1966 and older are already exempt.

So ultimately, the worst of the remaining 70s and 80s cars stay on the road, in whatever condition the owner desires. And my guess is, being Arizona, you're going to see a lot more of the older cars due to the lack of rust.

Here: Bill Text: AZ Senate Bill 1324 - 50th Legislature | eLobbyist is the text as proposed if anyone else wants to see it.
 
#10 ·
The only agenda we have is standing guard for the hobby.

cmdrstask is mistaken. Cars will not be out on the road in "willy-nilly" fashion. Under Arizona code, they still need to have mufflers that are in good and constant working order, cut-outs/by-passes would still be illegal, and 1968 and newer cars will still need emissions control devices.
 
#19 ·
so the cars that acutally cause the pollution are the ones exempt? That makes plenty of sense.... oh wait
 
#21 ·
How many people do you know that daily drive a 25 year old vehicle? Daily drive, not own. I can't think of one person in my neighborhood, and we have a bunch of old folks that theoretically should be driving old cars. So maybe less than 5%? Thats hardly "causing all the pollution".
 
#25 ·
cmdrtask maybe you don't understand how emissions testing works, at least in the state of california when they are most stringent. Testing a vehicle involves comparing the emissions on the tested vehicle with the average emissions of same SAME model vehicle from a group of cars tested in the previous year. That average changes every year and becomes more laxed as the average group of vehicles wears down year after year. OBVIOUSLY every vehicle emits different amounts of co2. How is it fair to make older vehicles meet emissions requirements set 20 years later? There is no logic in that at all.

I went through the CA emissions requirements around 2000 before I moved out of the state and they are a complete joke. They were failing me for visual modifications regardless of my actual co2 output. My test figures were cleaner than the average mustang of that year WITH the supercharger and yet the failed me for not being able to check timing on the car with the blower bracket in the way. The whole emissions testing BS is a way for the state to make money not actually fix a problem. The people in charge of managing the emissions testing and implementing testing procedures are flunky dropouts who couldn't find their way around a bathroom. I've posted this documentation in a thread before just to shut up the naysayers who refused to believe the state is that retarded. I find it disheartening that people put so much faith in state run agencies that they are run responsibly and efficiently, but its hardly the case. What a waste of tax payer dollars to run these services. It's all about money and appeasing small interest groups who lobby these programs with very little insight on how to oversee its execution efficiently and fairly.
 
#26 ·
cmdrtask maybe you don't understand how emissions testing works, at least in the state of california when they are most stringent.
Hustler, maybe you don't understand that we aren't discussing California here, and as such your entire post is not applicable to this thread.

If you're interested to see that there are currently graduated standards for vehicles in Arizona based on age, feel free to follow this link: http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/vei/download/dyna.pdf and check the standards yourself. Or go here: ADEQ: Air Quality Division: Vehicle Emissions to read about the entire Arizona testing program.
 
#27 ·
cmdrstask, cars 67 and older are exempt. Cars from 68-95 are emission tested and HAVE to pass. 96 and newer get an OBD check. I think any car that came with catalytic converters from the factory should be tested and have to pass regardless of year.
 
#28 ·
Actually my 90 GT has been listed as a classic here in AZ for the last 2years and is emissions exempt. All that is required is collector car insurance. There is a limitation on allowable mileage use though, but for me that's ok. My GT has had only 3000 miles logged on in the last 11yrs I've been in AZ so this bill suits me fine.
 
#32 ·
Arizona SB1324 passed and was signed in to law back in April. However, I guess the version that was passed was the House version which only extended the current exemption from anything pre-67 to pre-74, not anything older than 25 years.

The bill still does not change the exemption for cars 15 years or older that carry classic car insurance though.


http://www.azleg.gov/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=SB1324
 
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