Jay Leno's Backing Another Bill To Exempt Classic Cars From Smog Checks

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You whitethorn person heard astir nan California Senate Bill 712, different called "Leno's Law," which was killed disconnected precocious past year. Initially nan measure intended to exempt immoderate centrifugal conveyance 35 exemplary years aliases older from nan state's biennial smog tests, but it later focused connected exempting classical cars belonging to exemplary years 1981 and older. Although SB 712 passed nan California Senate and Assembly Transportation Committee, nan measure was held by nan Assembly Appropriations Committee and "Leno's Law" was yet axed connected August 29, 2025.

However, Senator Shannon Grove and co-sponsor Senator Dave Cortese are pushing up with a somewhat modified type of "Leno's Law" successful a caller California Senate Bill numbered 1392. Legislators were introduced to SB 1392 connected February 20, 2026, pinch an first proceeding day group to April 14. This time, classical car fans — including Jay Leno, who actively supports and stands down nan thought — person a amended chance of seeing nan measure passed into law, acknowledgment to immoderate somewhat different wording. If passed, nan rule will commence connected January 1, 2027 extending until 2032, efficaciously pushing nan exemplary years eligible for smog exemptions to arsenic acold arsenic 1986.

Much of nan matter successful SB 1392 is shared pinch that of SB 712. However, while SB 712 required nan smog-exempt conveyance to beryllium registered arsenic a collector car (and beryllium insured arsenic such) pinch nary definitive mention of regular usage, SB 1392 goes 1 measurement further, requiring nan said car not to beryllium utilized arsenic nan owner's superior mode of transportation. The usage case, arsenic defined per nan bill, is shows, parades, charitable functions, and humanities exhibitions for display, maintenance, and preservation.

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Jay Leno is wide known for his costly car collection, featuring each kinds of pre and post-war centrifugal vehicles. In this portion he wrote for Hagerty, he mentions really it's getting progressively difficult to find a spot that does smog tests for cars beyond a definite vintage. Not only that, but nan costs and hold times tin beryllium comparatively high, pinch Leno citing instances of eight-month hold times to get cars tested. Furthermore, according to nan op-ed, a regular smog trial is typically astir $35 aliases so, but specialty checkups of this benignant tin costs northbound of $200. Not everyone has nan capacity to salary those kinds of sums aliases beryllium successful a position to spend a caller car, and to explanation them arsenic criminals doesn't look fair, reckons nan erstwhile "Tonight Show" host.

SEMA elder head for authorities government affairs Christian Robinson told Road & Track it's reasonable to expect immoderate alteration successful nan bill's wording aft nan hearing. It's besides imaginable that erstwhile California implements nan law, different states could travel suit. According to Robinson, California has agelong been considered nan standard-bearer for galore of nan country's emissions policies, whether it's smog checks aliases EV mandates. 

On March 4, 2026, nan caller measure was referred to nan Senate Transportation Committee, pinch Senators Shannon Grove and Dave Cortese asking folks to taxable letters of support by April 8. Given nan changes introduced, it's much apt that SB 1392 could find occurrence wherever SB 712 failed. At least, that's what nan galore senators and assembly members who are successful support of nan measure hope.