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Pro-Hobbyist Street Rod and Custom
Vehicle Bill
to be Considered by Massachusetts
Legislators
The Massachusetts Joint Transportation
Committee will be holding a public hearing on October 27th at
11:00 am at the Massachusetts State House Room A-1. The hearing is
being held to determine whether or not to forward a proposed new law
that will make it much easier for custom car guys like us to build and
register custom vehicles in Massachusetts.
The law (H.B. 2156 and H.B. 2212) would create a vehicle registration
classification for street rods and custom vehicles and provide for
special license plates for these vehicles.
Introduced by
separate sponsors, H.B. 2156 and H.B. 2212 define a street rod as an
altered vehicle manufactured before 1949 and a custom as an altered
vehicle at least 25 years old and manufactured after 1948. Both bills
allow kit cars and replica vehicles
to be assigned a certificate of title bearing the same model year
designation as the production vehicle it most closely resembles.
The bills are important to the Massachusetts street rod and custom
vehicle community for several reasons. The proposed law would do the
following…
• Provide specific registration classes and license plates for street
rods and customs.
• Ensure that a replica vehicle will be assigned the same model year
designation as the production vehicle it most closely resembles.
• Establish safety inspection based on criteria established in
consultation with the National Street Rod Association.
• Hold street rods and customs to the equipment standards specified by
law during the model year listed on the title of the vehicle.
• Exempt street rods and customs from emissions inspections.
• Provide for a one-time registration fee of $25 for street rods and
customs.
• Permit street rods and custom vehicles to display blue dot taillights.
Street rods and custom cars are the same crowd pleasers that participate
in exhibitions and as parade vehicles, and whose owners regularly
contribute to charities and civic events. H.B. 2156 and 2212 simply
recognize the immeasurable amount of time, money and thought automotive
hobbyists invest in their cars. For many vehicle enthusiasts in
Massachusetts and throughout America, building, maintaining and enjoying
their vehicles is a favorite pastime. This legislation represents an
opportunity to acknowledge their commitment to the hobby and to protect
it for future generations.
Based on model legislation crafted by the Specialty Equipment market
Association (SEMA), similar bills have been enacted in Illinois (2002),
Missouri (2004), Rhode Island (2004), Montana (2005) and Maine (2005). A
version of the bill was also enacted in Hawaii (2004). The New York,
Tennessee, New Hampshire, Virginia, Wyoming and Arkansas Legislatures
have already or will introduce the SEMA model for the 2006 legislative
session.
We urge you to
contact members of the Joint Transportation Committee (list attached)
immediately to ask for their support for H.B. 2156 and H.B. 2212 |