Latest news with #Leno'sLaw
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Jay Leno shows support for bill that would exempt classic cars from smog checks
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Former 'Tonight Show' host Jay Leno went to Sacramento on Tuesday to support a bill that would exempt classic cars from smog check rules in California. Senate Bill 712, also known as Leno's Law, would remove California's biennial smog check requirements for vehicles that are 35 model years or older. The bill was introduced by State Sen. Shannon Grove and supported by Sen. Dave Cortese. 'It's nice to try to keep the auto-enthusiast market in California. Hot-rodding began in Southern California,' Leno said. 'To watch them close and move to Texas, it's kind of depressing, so that's all.' State Sen. Shannon Grove introduces bill to remove smog check requirement on classic cars Will Barrett, senior director of the American Lung Association, said these classic cars are some of the highest polluting vehicles on the road. 'This bill would let them out. It's a real jailbreak for our air quality problems in California,' Barrett said. The bill passed the Senate Transportation Committee. It will next go to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further consideration. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Jay Leno, Sen. Shannon Grove cruise CA Capitol for classic car smog exemption
Comedian and car aficionado Jay Leno drove state Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, in a 1976 Pontiac Trans-Am past the state Capitol on Tuesday, rallying support for legislation that would ease restrictions on classic cars. Grove's proposal, Senate Bill 712 — dubbed Leno's Law — would exempt vehicles 35 years or older from California's smog check program. The bill has attracted bipartisan support, including from Senate Transportation Committee Chair Sen. Dave Cortese, D-San Jose, who co-authored the measure. Grove and Leno were joined by dozens of classic car enthusiasts, who displayed their vehicles along 10th Street, to highlight the proposed exemption ahead of the bill's hearing. 'I try to be the typical California enthusiast during the week,' Leno said during a news conference on the Capitol steps. 'We try to do things the right way, but it's just hard when you have a vehicle that's not modified in any way. I hope you get behind us on this bill and at least make us equal to our neighboring states.'
CBS News
08-04-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Jay Leno rallies around California State Capitol to push classic car smog exemption law
SACRAMENTO – Legendary late-night talk show host Jay Leno is visiting the California State Capitol on Tuesday to help push a proposed rolling exemption from smog checks for classic cars. A noted car enthusiast, Leno led a rally involving numerous classic cars in front of the Capitol building before the scheduled hearing on SB-712 . Leno drove a classic Pontiac Firebird around the Capitol with state Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) riding shotgun. Grove is the measure's lead sponsor. The proposed bill – which its proponents have taken to calling "Leno's Law" due to his advocacy – would exempt collector vehicles 35 years and older from California's smog check program. Proponents of the exemption argue that these older classic vehicles only make up about 1% of the vehicles on California roads and are rarely the daily driver of commuters. California already doesn't require smog inspections for gas-powered vehicles from model years 1975 and older . The bill is co-sponsored by more than a dozen Republican representatives along with three Democrats. Tuesday's Senate chamber hearing is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. Leno, 74, has a famously large -- more than 100 , but the number seems to fluctuate -- collection of classic vehicles.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Jay Leno Backs California Bill to Exempt Classic Cars From Smog Checks
⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious Comedian and automotive icon Jay Leno has teamed up with California State Sen. Shannon Grove to introduce legislation aimed at expanding smog check exemptions for classic cars, a move designed to protect the state's rich automotive heritage. Senate Bill 712, dubbed "Leno's Law," seeks to eliminate what supporters call "unnecessary and burdensome" emissions testing requirements for vintage vehicles. Under current California law, only cars built before 1976 are exempt from regular smog inspections. The proposed bill would extend exemptions to newer classic models, ensuring they remain roadworthy without regulatory hurdles. 'California has a rich automotive heritage, with some of the first classic cars rolling off assembly lines right here in our state,' Grove, R-Bakersfield, said in a statement. 'These rolling pieces of history are more than just vehicles—they have strong cultural ties in our communities and supply thousands of jobs in the aftermarket parts industry.' Leno, a longtime classic car collector and host of Jay Leno's Garage, has been a vocal advocate for preserving vintage automobiles. He argues that classic cars make up a fraction of the vehicles on the road and contribute minimally to air pollution compared to modern transportation emissions. Critics of the bill warn that relaxing smog regulations could weaken California's strict environmental policies. However, supporters counter that most classic car owners drive their vehicles sparingly, often for special events or exhibitions, rather than daily commutes. If passed, SB 712 could provide relief for classic car enthusiasts and collectors, further cementing California's role as a hub for automotive preservation and innovation. The bill is currently under review by the state legislature.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
'Leno's Law' Aims to Relax Smog Rules for California Classic Cars
California Senate Bill 712 aims to expand emissions exemptions to vehicles at least 35 years old. The exemptions require the car to be insured as a collector car. One of the bill's biggest backers is Jay Leno, to the point that it's been called 'Leno's Law'. Being a classic car enthusiast in the state of California is something of a double-edged sword. On one hand, there are seemingly endless shows and meets, the weather is great, and there's always another barn find just waiting to be dug up out of the cobwebs and brought back to glory. On the other hand, forever idling in traffic isn't great, and getting an old car through emissions regulations can be tough. There's no solution on the horizon for the first part of that problem, but for the latter, there's maybe a chance that things could get a little easier. California Senate Bill 712, set to go before the state's transportation committee next month, aims to provide a smog-testing exemption for cars built in 1990 and earlier. It can't just be a daily driver, either, but a vehicle insured as a collector car, and one of the biggest names in California car collection has put his weight behind the issue. In fact, SB-712 has picked up the nickname 'Leno's Law,' as Jay Leno has been outspoken about the need to relax emissions regulations for classic cars. California already had such an exemption in place back when Arnold Schwarzenegger was governor, a rolling 30-year exemption for older cars. This was pushed to the current pre-1976 regulation in 2005. The average age of a car in the United States is between 12 and 14 years old, so cars that are more than 30 years old are only a small segment of what's on the road. Especially if insured as a collector car, as few of these machines are doing the kind of mileage that would have a measurable environmental impact. A vehicle that's at least 35 years old is already exempt from certain portions of the existing emissions test; the proposed bill just extends things to full exemption. At the same time, classic car enthusiasm supports a host of industries in California, everything from big-dollar restomod companies to mom-and-pop upholstery shops. About 14 percent of businesses in the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA) are based in California, and California-based enthusiasts order replacement and refurbished parts from other shops all across the U.S. It's a multi-billion-dollar slice of the economy. In neighboring Nevada, Oregon, and Arizona, a host of emissions regulations are more relaxed and often have exemptions built in for collector cars. In Nevada, for instance, there are special registration categories for collector vehicles, and many of them are exempt from emissions testing if driven less than 5000 miles per year. Broadly, SB-712 appeals to common sense that would make life a lot easier for classic car owners in California. It can be tricky to get a European- or Japanese-market import through the emissions tests as they are written, and some shops will simply turn away older cars, as their technicians may not be trained on older smog compliance equipment. With the exemptions in place, keeping an older car on the road requires less red tape. Instead, all you need to worry about is getting up on time to make that early Sunday AM Cars and Coffee. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
