WA new SEMA bill
 

All you WA Cobra owners please call Sen. Mike Carrell (360) 786-7654 to support his introduction of S.B. 5585. This is a SEMA model bill allowing kit car registration as the year it replicates like OR does. Please also call the other senators of the transportation committee listed on SEMA's website. I'm awaiting info on whether passage of this bill would allow retitling of our existing cars to conform with the bill. If so you get a 1960's title and no more emission testing BS! Thanks.
Dave Miller
Brush Prairie, WA

Any WA Cobra owners out there?

There are a few of us. I agree with Dave. This is a great chance for us to speak in favor of the SEMA legislation which is overdue. The current system is broken and needs to be fixed ASAP! I will be calling Mike Carrell on Monday and also encourage everyone else to do so.

Jake

Thanks Jake. Here is more info on this bill and legislators to contact:

http://echo.bluehornet.com/hostedema...1E7E939F286352

There is a transportation committee meeting on this bill tommorrow the 9th, 3:30pm at the Cherberg Building, Olympia. I and another GT40 owner will be there. Please come if you can. I got clarification from Steve McDonald at SEMA that when SEMA bills are passed it usually is possible to retitle your car to take advantage of the 1960's year designation. If you can't make it tommorrow please call Sen. Carrell to express your support. Will keep you posted as this moves thru the legislature.
D. Miller

Thank Mike Carrell, but call Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen
 

I'm sure Sen. Carrell would appreciate all your calls of support for his introduction of Senate Bill 5585, but to really make an impact you need to call the chair of the Senate Transportation Committee where the bill is being heard today.

Her name is Senator Mary Margaret Haugen, and her number is 360-786-7618. Call and ask her to give SB 5585 a do-pass recommendation so it can get out of committee and be debated by the full Senate.

In fact, you can contact the rest of the Transportation Committee members to urge their support as well. Here's their info:

Washington State Senate Transportation Committee

Senator Mary Margaret Haugen – Chair
Phone: 360/786-7618
Email: haugen.marymargaret@leg.wa.gov

Senator Scott White – Vice Chair
Phone: 360/786-7690
Email: white.scott@leg.wa.gov

Senator Curtis King
Phone: 360/786-7626
Email: king.curtis@leg.wa.gov

Senator Joe Fain
Phone: 360/786-7692
Email: fain.joe@leg.wa.gov

Senator Jerome Delvin
Phone: 360/786-7614
Email: delvin.jerome@leg.wa.gov

Senator Tracey Eide
Phone: 360/786-7658
Email: Eide.tracey@leg.wa.gov

Senator Doug Ericksen
Phone: 360/786-7682
Email: ericksen.doug@leg.wa.gov

Senator Andy Hill
Phone: 360/786-7672
Email: hill.andy@leg.wa.gov

Senator Steve Hobbs
Phone: 360/786-7686
Email: hobbs.steve@leg.wa.gov

Senator Steve Litzow
Phone: 360/786-7641
Email: litzow.steve@leg.wa.gov

Senator Sharon Nelson
Phone: 360/786-7667
Email: nelson.sharon@leg.wa.gov

Senator Margarita Prentice
Phone: 360/786-7616
Email: prentice.margarita@leg.wa.gov

Senator Kevin Ranker
Phone: 360/786-7678
Email: ranker.kevin@leg.wa.gov

Senator Tim Sheldon
Phone: 360/786-7668
Email: sheldon.tim@leg.wa.gov

Senator Paull Shin
Phone: 360/786-7640
Email: shin.paull@leg.wa.gov

Senator Dan Swecker
Phone: 360/786-7638
Email: swecker.dan@leg.wa.gov

Auto enthusiasts show support for Carrell custom car bill
 

OLYMPIA… The Senate Transportation Committee heard public testimony today on Senate Bill 5585, with many of the comments coming from car enthusiasts and collectors. Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood and sponsor of the measure, told the committee about the feedback he’s received since proposing the idea a week ago.

“My office has fielded dozens of phone calls and e-mails from hot rodders and other custom-car builders who want guidance from the state on how to properly license and register their creations,” Carrell said. “As a car buff myself, I can empathize with their frustration; this bill will help bring clarity to the hobby of custom-car manufacturing.”

SB 5585 would provide specific registration and titling classes for street rods and custom-built cars, including kits and replicas. It would allow car owners to license their vehicles using the same model-year designation as the production vehicle they most closely resemble. The bill also exempts street rods and customs from a range of standard-equipment requirements and emissions inspections.

“If someone puts a 2009 Ford engine in the body of a 1949 Ford Coupe, he or she shouldn’t have any confusion about how to legally license the vehicle.” Carrell said. “Moreover, if someone builds a car from the ground up from scrap parts, aftermarket items or custom-manufactured pieces, it could be classified any number of different ways. My bill will establish constancy for both the state and hobbyists alike.”

Additionally, the bill would require that vehicles titled and registered as street rods and custom vehicles only be used for occasional transportation – such as exhibitions, club activities, parades, tours, etc. – not for general daily transportation. It also permits the use of blue-dot taillights, which are popular in custom mid-20th-century vehicles. Blue-dot taillights combine red and blue colors to give off an attractive purple color, but are not considered street-legal in Washington.

Here is the hearing:
http://www.tvw.org/media/mediaplayer...7935261&bhcp=1

Thanks to all of you who called in support of this bill. Thanks for the video feed too. I'm not a good public speaker, but between Craig Morrison, Tim Dutton, Sen. Carrell and myself we gave a very positive spin to the bill. There was no opposing speaker, only a state patrolman who wasn't sure how some issues would be enforced. He and Sen. Carrell said they would iron that out. I don't think the full committee was there and no vote was taken, but we think we're over the first hurdle. I believe it goes to a Rules Committee next before a full Senate & House debate, amendment, and vote. I talked to Sen. Carrell about all us guys stuck with current year registrations. I'm not sure he initially realized the importance of us being able to retitle to get the benefits of the bill. He did say he would amend the bill to include that. Most importantly I'm going to work with Steve McDonald at SEMA to make sure this gets in the bill. It probably wouldn't hurt to contact the Transportation chair Mary Haugen 360-786-7618 as well as other committee members even now. Thanks again. Will keep this updated.

Thanks to those that testified! I agree that they don't really grasp what a big deal this is.

Jake

Auto enthusiasts show support for Carrell custom car bill (Olympia WA)
http://www.senaterepublicans.wa.gov/...020911Cars.htm

After leaving a message for Sen. Carrell he called me back with in 45 minutes. He is also a car guy and was great to talk with. I explained all the benefits of the SEMA legislation and answered a few questions that he had about registration issues. He urged me and as many others to write a one page letter to the Transportation Chair, Senator Mary Margaret Haugen. He also said that it would be good if someone from her area (Anacortes) write a letter. He said that we need to act fast as she has already killed one of his car related bills. This one could be next without support. Her address is 305 Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA 98504-0410.

Jake


Jake

Jake,
I'm very interested in your conversation with Sen. Carrell and have some questions. Sent you a PM reply.
Dave

Can someone please give me more information on the benifits of this bill. Maybe a sample letter. I would like to write Mary Margaret Haugen and want to make sure she know all the facts not just my personel interests.

Thanks,
Skip

Hi Skip,
Open this for a description of the bill and its benefits:

http://echo.bluehornet.com/hostedema...1E7E939F286352

Also see the attached letter Cascade Cobra Club sent. Let me know if you need more info.
Thanks for your support. Any help in getting this to the Senate floor is appreciated.
D. Miller

BIG UPDATE! We got the bill thru the Transportation committee!
Now we need help passing it thru the Senate itself. Please write or call your state senator now. This could be voted on in the next 1-2 weeks. Use the link below for bill and senator info. Also note the blue link to join SAN. That gives you automatic updates. Thanks to all of you and keep the push going!
Dave Miller
http://echo.bluehornet.com/hostedema...92992A4EA9F83B

I bought my car at auction in Reno.There it was liescenced as 1965 Cobra replica. The Navada Hyway patrol at least knew what they were looking for. I drove it here and spent the next year getting the exhaust fixed and liscenced in WA. Here in Wa they changed it to a 1984 Kit V. When I started the quest the state code said it was to be liescenced as the year it replicated and they changed the code a little before I bought my ca rand brought into this state. I've gone through the every other year emissions testing. The car is now outside the twenty-five year old thing. Other than the drive home from Reno I never put more than 2 or 3 hundred miles a year. Some years I didn't put any miles on it. I drove it to work once. Tacoma to Ocean shores and back home once and Tacoma to Port Angles and home once. I still have half a tank of verry expenseive gasoline from last year.
I'm sure that if there were a way to ring more money out of us, WA state would go along willingly.
.

WA S.B. 5585 Update
 

Thought I'd let you know I dropped off the amendment to S.B. 5585 allowing already titled cars to retitle as year of replication. Sen. Carrell's office called back today. He will introduce this as a floor amendment to the original bill. PLEASE CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR TO SUPPORT THIS BILL AND THE AMENDMENT. This is an uphill fight, but we can get this done if you all pitch in. Thanks.
For Senator contacts:
http://echo.bluehornet.com/hostedema...92992A4EA9F83B
Dave Miller

We're on a Roll!!
 

WA S.B. 5585 passed the full senate with the retitling amendment! Thank you Sen. Carrell and thank you Cobra supporters! Full info on the bill at
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summ...2011&bill=5585
Now we have to get it passed in the House Transportation Committee and full House. PLEASE CALL TRANSPORTATION MEMBERS AND YOUR HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES We can do this if you keep calling or writing. No more emission tests, a 1960's title, and historic plates!
Dave Miller

I spoke with Dave Miller yesterday and he mentioned thst there has been some discussion on the FFR site that if and when this is passed you would be mandated to switch to collector vehicle plates. That is Not the case. You could switch your car over to a 1965 Ford registration and have the option to put CV plates on or run a restored original plate and never have to contend with emmisions or tabs again. I think the issue was for guys that drive their cobras to work when it is nice as a back up commuter car. That would fall outside the provisions of the CV registration rules. In that case you do nothing and continue buying tabs every year. Hopes this clears up any misconceptions. This would be a huge win for everyone with a cobra replica that is registered as the year it was built.

Jake