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Utah Senate Bill 51, and what it really says about Vintage Vehicles

TurboMinivan

TurboMinivan

Still plays with cars
Location
Lehi, UT
For the 2022 session, the Utah legislature has introduced S.B. 51 Transportation Amendments, which seeks to amend various provisions related to motor vehicles and transportation. (You can read the entire bill here: https://le.utah.gov/~2022/bills/static/SB0051.html)

You may have already seen a local Facebook post talking about this... but, beware. That post (which has been copied and pasted many times, so I don't know who originally wrote it) contains INCORRECT information. That post says this bill seeks to redefine a Vintage Vehicle as one being model year 1967 or older, which is untrue. In reality, this bill proposes two different changes which will both affect the current laws concerning Vintage Vehicle registration.

  • Proposed change #1: it is suggested that the definition of a Vintage Vehicle change from the current 30 years old to 40 years old (see bill lines 479-480).
  • Proposed change #2: it is suggested that Vintage Vehicles are now only emissions exempt if they are model year 1967 or older (see lines 325-326).

These changes clearly threaten the classic car hobby in Utah. As a fellow classic car owner and enthusiast, I encourage you to contact your representatives, briefly express your concern about the car hobby being threatened, and politely ask them to strike these two proposed changes from the bill. (To learn who your representatives are, use this link: https://le.utah.gov/GIS/findDistrict.jsp) With any luck, we can generate enough responses to preserve our hobby as it now stands.
 
TurboMinivan

TurboMinivan

Still plays with cars
Location
Lehi, UT
I just spent half an hour crafting a simple, polite email explaining how these two changes would be crippling to my enjoyment of the hobby--I would no longer be able to drive to exhibitions, parades, etc. I carefully chose these words since they are contained in the current law defining the legal use of a Vintage Vehicle.

I also made sure to mention that, since my Vintage Vehicle is driven so scarcely, the eventual impact on air quality (should the bill pass as written) would be negligible. Yes, I even mentioned that my general daily transportation (again, words from the Vintage Vehicle law) is handled by another vehicle (and I even pointed out that it is electric--anything to help the cause!).
 
Mouse

Mouse

Trying to wheel
Supporting Member
Location
West Haven, UT
I emailed my representative. I also encourage everyone else to do the same. It only needs to be a quick email that says "vote no" to S.B. 51 Transportation Amendment.

Its easy to do!
 
zmotorsports

zmotorsports

Hardcore Gearhead
Vendor
Location
West Haven, UT
Email sent to both representative and senator for my district.

I also added about how it would destroy the enthusiast lifestyle with less cars becoming classics. As cars age they should inherently be considered classics and this is a frivolous piece of legislature. I also impressed that with todays better technologies of most things automotive related, from engines, components and even oils, that the little these cars are driven they will actually burn cleaner than they did when new therefore deterring people from restoring these classic automobiles.
 
jeeper

jeeper

I live my life 1 dumpster at a time
Location
So Jo, Ut
I am sure that this change has come about from the abuse of the current law. Any vehicle 30 years or older has vintage plates, regardless of whether or not it is used as a DD. We all knew it would be changed eventually.
 
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