The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) sent Hagerty Plus the following Legislative Alert to share with our customers and agents immediately. If you have any questions regarding this alert, please call or email Rory Carroll, Hagerty Plus Legislative Resource Director at 800-922-4050, x8407 / mailto:Rcarroll@hagerty.comor Steve McDonald, SEMA Vice President of Government Affairs at stevem@sema.com

Oregon Bill to Prohibit Sale of Aftermarket Parts to be Considered
by Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 10

The Oregon House Environment and Water Committee will consider legislation (H.B. 2186) to prohibit the sale and distribution of aftermarket motor vehicle parts if alternatives are available that “decrease greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles.” The bill is primarily focused on aftermarket tires and would authorize the Environmental Quality Commission to implement enforcement regulations, likely based on a rolling resistance calculation.  The bill was introduced at the request of Governor Theodore Kulongoski.
 
We Urge You Contact All Members of the Environment and Water Committee (Contact Information Below) TODAY to Request Their Opposition to H.B. 2186

For those interested in attending the hearing to show your opposition, the committee will meet tomorrow, Tues., Feb.10, 2009 at 3:00 p.m.at the following address:

Oregon State Capitol
Hearing Room D, 900 Court St. NE
Salem, Oregon  97301

We Urge You to Contact the Members of the Environment and Water Committee (Contact Information Below) Immediately to Request Their Opposition to H.B. 2186

• H.B. 2186 would regulate vehicle fuel economy, an authority reserved to the federal government.
• H.B. 2186 could ban tires that may have improved performance, handling or appearance features, based solely on a rolling resistance rating.  In addition, this program could easily distract consumers from focusing on more important safety issues such as tire inflation and overloading of vehicles.
• H.B. 2186 would force consumers to purchase only original equipment manufacturer (OEM) tires because the program essentially exempts OEM-selected tires and unfairly implies that they are superior to aftermarket products.
• H.B. 2186 could prohibit aftermarket parts designed to either personalize or optimize specific vehicle performance attributes including handling, towing, suspension, fuel economy, etc.
• H.B. 2186 provides broad authority to government regulators and could limit a range of aftermarket parts currently available to consumers based on the subjective determination of government regulators.

DON’T DELAY!  Please contact the House Environment and Water Committee immediately to urge their opposition to H.B. 2186. 

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

Oregon House Environment and Water Committee

Representative Ben Cannon – Chair
Phone: 503/986-1446
Email: rep.bencannon@state.or.us

Representative Jules Bailey
Phone: 503/986-1442
Email: rep.juleskopelbailey@state.or.us

Representative Phil Barnhart
Phone: 503/986-1411
Email: rep.philbarnhart@state.or.us

Representative Cliff Bentz
Phone: 503/986-1460
Email: rep.cliffbentz@state.or.us

Representative Deborah Boone
Phone: 503/986-1432
Email: rep.deborahboone@state.or.us

Representative Vic Gilliam
Phone: 503/986-1418
Email: rep.vicgilliam@state.or.us

Representative Bob Jenson
Phone: 503/986-1458
Email: rep.bobjenson@state.or.us

Representative Jefferson Smith
Phone: 503/986-1447
Email: rep.jeffersonsmith@state.or.us 

Please e-mail a copy of your letters to Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org