North Carolina Street Rod and Replica Vehicle Bill to be Considered in Senate Committee on Tuesday, Apr. 28, 2009

 

 

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North Carolina Street Rod and Replica Vehicle Bill to be Considered in Senate Committee on Tuesday, Apr. 28, 2009 A version of SEMA model legislation to create a vehicle registration classification for street rods, replicas and custom vehicles will be heard by the North Carolina Senate Commerce Committee.  The committee will consider a substitute to S.B. 820 (Click here to review substitute).  The substitute is a product of negotiations between SEMA and the hobbyist network in North Carolina.  We believe that the substitute version of S.B. 820, if passed, will retain the key components of the SEMA-model language while relieving vehicle owners of unfair title branding and inspection concerns.  SEMA also believes that the substitute bill adequately addresses the concerns expressed in recent weeks by all parties, while offering the benefits other states have experienced from these new registration and titling classifications.  We Urge You to Call All Members of the North Carolina Senate Commerce Committee (Contact Information Below) Immediately to Request Their Support for the Substitute to S.B. 820  S.B. 820 provides specific registration and titling classes for street rods, custom vehicles and replicas.  Street rods are of a pre-1949 vintage; customs are of the post-1949 era. S.B. 820 allows for the use of non-original materials and creates a titling and registration criterion that assigns replica vehicles the same model year designation as the production vehicle intended to be replicated. S.B. 820 requires that the title of a replica vehicle must clearly indicate that the vehicle is a replica and not an original. S.B. 820 only holds street rods, customs and replicas to the equipment standards specified by law during the model year listed on the title of the vehicle. S.B. 820 provides an avenue by which the state can accurately and fairly title and register these specialty vehicles. S.B. 820 recognizes the immeasurable amount of time, money and attention automotive enthusiasts invest in their hobby cars.  Street rods, customs and replicas are the same crowd pleasers that participate in exhibitions and as parade vehicles, and whose owners regularly contribute to charities and civic events.  This legislation represents an opportunity to acknowledge this family hobby and to protect it for future generations.  DON’T DELAY!  Please call members of the Senate Commerce Committee immediately to urge support for the substitute to S.B. 820  North Carolina Senate Commerce Committee Senator R.C. Soles – Chairman Phone: 919/733-5963 Senator Floyd McKissick – Vice Chairman Phone: 919/733-4599 Senator David Hoyle – Vice Chairman Phone: 919/733-5734 Senator Tony Rand – Vice Chairman Phone: 919/733-9892 Senator Tom Apodaca Phone: 919/733-5745 Senator Phil Berger Phone: 919/733-5708 Senator Doug Berger Phone: 919/715-8363 Senator Harris Blake Phone: 919/733-4809 Senator Julia Boseman Phone: 919/715-2525 Senator Peter Brunstetter Phone: 919/733-7850 Senator Debbie Clary Phone: 919/715-3038 Senator Katie Dorsett Phone: 919/715-3042 Senator Tony Foriest Phone: 919/301-1446 Senator James Forrester Phone: 919/715-3050 Senator Linda Garrou Phone: 919/733-5620 Senator W. Edward Goodall Phone: 919/733-7659 Senator Steve Goss Phone: 919/733-5742 Senator Malcolm Graham Phone: 919/733-5650 Senator Neal Hunt Phone: 919/733-5850 Senator Jim Jacumin Phone: 919/715-7823 Senator Clark Jenkins Phone: 919/715-3040 Senator Martin Nesbitt Phone: 919/715-3001 Senator William Purcell Phone: 919/733-5953 Senator Bob Rucho Phone: 919/733-5655 Senator Larry Shaw Phone: 919/733-9349 Senator Josh Stein Phone: 919/715-6400 Senator Richard Stevens Phone: 919/733-5653 Senator Don Vaughan Phone: 919/733-5856

North Carolina Introduces Bill to Implement Vehicle Scrappage Program

 

 

 

 

 

 

North Carolina Introduces Bill to Implement Vehicle Scrappage Program

While hobbyists and related businesses have worked diligently to defeat proposals in Washington, DC to create a national cash for clunkers
program, a bill (H.B. 1207) has been introduced in the North Carolina State Legislature that would implement a state vehicle scrappage program for
passenger vehicles that are at least 14-years old.  Participants would receive around $1,000-$1,500 to scrap their car and purchase a current
year vehicle under 10,000 pounds, or one from the previous three model years.  The participant’s family income must be less than 300% of
the current federal poverty level.  ALL trade-in vehicles could be destroyed, regardless of their historical value or collector interest. 
If this effort is successful, hobbyists could be denied the availability of vintage cars and parts for restoration projects.

We Urge You to Contact Members of the North Carolina House Environment and Natural Resources Committee (List Below) Immediately to Request
Their Opposition to H.B. 1207

• H.B. 1207 ignores the fact that, given the low value of the voucher, a lower-income consumer who owns just one qualifying scrappage car is not in
  a financial position to buy a new or late model vehicle.
• H.B. 1207 ignores the fact that the program favors a consumer who owns three or four cars, including a vehicle older than 14 years which sits in
  the driveway, rarely driven, if at all.  Destroying this car will not clean the air as is claimed by the bill.
• H.B. 1207 is unfair to vehicle owners, many of whom depend on the low-cost transportation that older cars provide and on parts available from
  older cars in order to maintain their own vehicles.  
• H.B. 1207 ignores the fact that all scrappage programs hold the potential for enthusiasts to lose a valuable source of rare parts for vehicle
  restoration projects.  
• H.B. 1207 ignores the fact that most environmental organizations reject scrappage programs because they do more environmental harm than good by
  artificially accelerating the car life cycle (producing, dismantling, recycling, etc.).  
• H.B. 1207 ignores the fact that older cars are rarely driven, generally well-maintained and not a good or cost-effective source of emissions
  reductions.     
• H.B. 1207 ignores the fact that scrappage programs are difficult to police and subject to fraud.

Please contact members of the North Carolina House Environment and Natural Resources Committee by phone or e-mail to urge their opposition
to H.B. 1207. 

Please e-mail a copy of your letter to Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.  Thank you for your assistance.

North Carolina House Environment and Natural Resources Committee

(Click here to e-mail all Committee members)

Representative Lucy Allen – Chair
Phone: 919/733-5860
Email: Lucy.Allen@ncleg.net

Representative Mitch Gillespie
Phone: 919/733-5862
Email: Mitchg@ncleg.net

Representative Pricey Harrison
Phone: 919/733-5771
Email: Pricey.Harrison@ncleg.net

Representative Carolyn Justice
Phone: 919/715-9664
Email: Carolyn.Justice@ncleg.net

Representative Cullie Tarleton
Phone: 919/733-7727
Email: Cullie.Tarleton@ncleg.net

Representative Alice Underhill
Phone: 919/733-5853
Email: Alice.Underhill@ncleg.net

Representative Kelly Alexander
Phone: 919/733-5778
Email: Kelly.Alexander@ncleg.net

Representative Curtis Blackwood
Phone: 919/733-2406
Email: Curtis.Blackwood@ncleg.net

Representative Elmer Floyd
Phone: 919/733-5959
Email: Elmer.Floyd@ncleg.net

Representative Pryor Gibson
Phone: 919/715-3007
Email: Pryor.Gibson@ncleg.net

Representative R. Phillip Haire
Phone: 919/715-3005
Email: Phillip.Haire@ncleg.net

Representative Verla Insko
Phone: 919/733-7208
Email: Verla.Insko@ncleg.net

Representative Ric Killian
Phone: 919/733-5886
Email: Ric.Killian@ncleg.net

Representative Paul Luebke
Phone: 919/733-7663
Email: Paul.Luebke@ncleg.net

Representative Grier Martin
Phone: 919/733-5758
Email: Grier.Martin@ncleg.net

Representative Daniel McComas
Phone: 919/733-5786
Email: Danny.McComas@ncleg.net

Representative Pat McElraft
Phone: 919/733-6275
Email: Pat.McElraft@ncleg.net

Representative Bill Owens
Phone: 919/733-0010
Email: Bill.Owens@ncleg.net

Representative Ruth Samuelson
Phone: 919/715-3009
Email: Ruth.Samuelson@ncleg.net

Representative Bonner Stiller
Phone: 919/301-1450
Email: Bonner.Stiller@ncleg.net

Representative Russell Tucker
Phone: 919/715-3021
Email: Russell.Tucker@ncleg.net

Representative Roger West
Phone: 919/733-5859
Email: Roger.West@ncleg.net

Representative Larry Womble
Phone: 919/733-5777
Email: Larry.Womble@ncleg.net
 

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SEMA Legislative Alert: Update on North Carolina Street Rod and Replica Vehicle Bill

Update on North Carolina Street Rod and Replica Vehicle Bill 

As many of you are aware, a version of SEMA model legislation (S.B. 476) that would create a vehicle registration classification for street rods,
replicas and modified vehicles was introduced in the North Carolina State Legislature.  The SEMA model has been enacted into law, with an
overwhelmingly positive response, in approximately 20 states around the country.

SEMA has been working with North Carolina legislators and
regulators for the past two years in an attempt to mitigate the stringent reforms that were put in place by state regulators pursuant to the DMV
scandal relative to titling procedures.  We are aware that there is also an effort underway to promote separate legislation (S.B. 820, H.B. 861)
that proponents believe will retain the key components of the SEMA-model language while relieving vehicle owners of unfair title branding and
inspection concerns.

It is critically important to SEMA that our membership and hobbyist network remain unified behind a single legislative
effort.  It is equally important that the bill adequately addresses the concerns of all parties, while offering the benefits other states have
experienced from these new registration and titling classifications.  To that end, we are working with the North Carolina Legislature and
hobbyists in an effort to achieve these goals.  We remain committed to working alongside the hobbyist network in North Carolina to ultimately
supporting the best legislation possible.

Unfortunately, in this process, there have been several misrepresentations made about the involvement
of the SEMA membership.  Jim Barber of Classic Automotive Restoration (Belews Creek, NC) has generously given up his time over the years as a
consultant on behalf of several efforts initiated by SEMA’s Washington, D.C. office.  He had no hand in drafting the SEMA model bill or the
bills that have emerged from the North Carolina Legislature.  He joins SEMA in working to support legislation that will benefit all affected
parties.

We will be in touch shortly with updated information.  If you have any questions, please send those to Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org