SEMA and Vermont hobbyists successfully opposed two Vermont bills that would have implemented statewide vehicle scrappage programs.

The first proposal would have created a scrappage program funded by a pollution surcharge and a diesel fuel tax. The pollution surcharge would have been tied to vehicle registrations and would be more costly on expensive-and supposedly higher polluting-vehicles. Further, a voucher system would pay owners of scrapped vehicles up to $2,000, calculated so that the state pays more for scrapping vehicles that pollute the most. These vouchers could have then been used to purchase public transit tickets or a replacement vehicle identified on a state-prepared "Clean Car List" from a dealership participating in the program. The second scrappage bill proposed to dispatch portable vehicle crushers to various locations in the state to accept vehicles for crushing.

SEMA and New England area SEMA Action Network hobbyists were able to convince Vermont legislators that these programs don't work. SEMA Action Network Director Brian Caudill noted, "Scrappage remains a public policy fraud. These programs do little to clean the air. The only thing they do well is eliminate the availability of vintage cars for restoration projects and curtail the availability of inexpensive transportation for lower-income families."

SEMA would like to note that Vermont has seen several scrappage bills introduced in the last two legislative sessions. Each time, these bills have failed in no small part because Vermont SEMA Action Network enthusiasts like the American Truck Historical Society, Green Mountain Chapter, Champlain Valley Street Rods and the Adirondack Mustang Club and the New England Mopar Club have taken action.

The Case Against Scrappage

* Scrappage programs ignore the fact that older, particularly classic, cars are well-maintained, infrequently driven and not a substantial source of emissions reductions.

* Scrappage programs are unfair to low-income drivers who rely on low-cost parts and transportation.

* Scrappage programs are difficult to operate and enforce. They are also subject to fraud.

* Scrappage programs are inferior to other programs, such as VOLUNTARY emissions system repair and upgrade programs, which both cleans the air and keeps the cars on the road.

Vermont Anti-Hobby Inoperable Vehicle Bill Dies

Vermont area hobbyists and SEMA defeated a bill reintroduced in the Vermont legislature to expand the definition of "junkyard" to include any place of outdoor storage of four or more "junk" motor vehicles that are visible from a public highway.

Had this legislation passed, hobbyists working on multiple collector vehicles on private property would have been regulated as businesses. "This legislation showed a tremendous lack of understanding of the vehicle hobby on at least two levels," claimed Brian Caudill, director of the SEMA Action Network. "First, inoperable vehicles are not always 'junk.' A '40 Ford Panel truck parts-car is not 'junk' to a street rodder. A late '60's beater with a bashed rear-end is a goldmine for someone building a muscle car. Secondly, pursuing the old car hobby is expensive enough without the government intervening to regulate and tax what you do as a hobby the same way they would a business."

SEMA is thankful to the many Vermont hobbyists who helped kill this bill. We would particularly like to highlight the efforts of SEMA Action Network member American Truck Historical Society, Green Mountain Chapter.

Had H.B. 3399 passed, owners would have had only seven days to remove a vehicle before facing stiff fines. If the owner could not afford to move it, the vehicle could have been removed by the local law enforcement agency. 

SEMA and Illinois hobbyists successfully argued that H.B. 3399 would grant county boards subjective and unchecked authority to label legally registered vehicles - including project vehicles - as nuisances, based solely on their appearance. This would make it increasingly difficult for hobbyists to work on collector vehicles on private property and would be unfair to low-income vehicle owners, many of whom depend on the low-cost transportation that older, and naturally less pristine, cars provide.

Without question, H.B. 3399 was overreaching legislation that could have trampled on the rights of Illinois vehicle collectors, customizers, restorers, and shade-tree mechanics. SEMA would like to highlight the efforts of the following Illinois SEMA Action Network member clubs in defeating this legislation: Northern Illinois Impala Club, Allante Appreciation Group, Southern Illinois Street Machines, Heartland Vintage Truck Club, Chicagoland Buick Club, Prairie A's Antique Ford Club, Model A Ford Club of America-Salt Creek Chapter.

The Rhode Island bill, which passed overwhelmingly in the legislature, provided for special license plates for rods and customs, included appropriate and traditional year-break definitions for street rods, provided for the use of non-original materials and created tilting criteria that would have assigned these vehicles, including replicas, the year of manufacture that the body of the vehicle resembles.

"The Rhode Island legislation should have been a slam-dunk. It would have provided specific registration classes for street rods and customs, and would have only required them to comply with those equipment standards on the books during their year of manufacture," said Brian Caudill, SEMA Action Network Director. "The bill would have even permitted blue dot taillights and exempted street rods and customs from emissions inspections. Needless, to say, we are disappointed with the outcome."

SEMA would like to thank the members of the Rhode Island Street Rod Association for working so hard to get this legislation to the Governor's desk. SEMA and Rhode Island hobbyists vow to pursue the bill again in 2003.