The 2014 show and cruise season is slowly but surely creeping up on us, so before things get too hot and heavy, why don’t we catch up on the latest Law & Order update from our friends at the Specialty Equipment Market Association? After all, without them and their efforts, your future “fun seasons” could be quite dismal.

While we checked in with SEMA and SAN (the SEMA Action Network) just a couple of weeks ago, several updates have come across the board since. One of these updates is that the “white light” headlight bill being considered in Ohio has now passed the full Senate floor and goes to the Ohio House of Representatives for consideration.

If passed, the Ohio bill will deem federal standards, which help determine if a headlight is the correct color to be run on the road, adequate rather than putting even more regulations on aftermarket headlights. What this would mean is that if a headlight is deemed white by federal standards, even if it emits a blue tint, the lamp could be run on any road-going vehicle, including your classic car, if the bill is passed.

Another update this month comes from Texas, where SEMA is keeping an eye on a proposal issued by the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

Upon first draft, the proposal included provisions in regulations that conflicted with a 2011 law allowing motor vehicles considered “custom vehicles” or “street rods” to be titled. These provisions have since been taken out by the agency.

Currently, Texas law does not allow the titling of any vehicle that does not have a body, motor and frame manufactured by a recognized motor vehicle company, like Ford or Chevy. However, with the 2011 law in place, vehicles that are made to resemble old factory cars but have been created from non-original parts, or vehicles that have been considerably modified from the original manufacturer’s design, can be titled as street rods or custom vehicles.

A proposal to allow vehicles like kit cars and replicas to be titled without the manufacturer regulations is set to be formally adopted soon, but for now the hot rod community has to be content that SEMA is keeping an eye on things and commending the agency for taking provisions out of the recent proposal that would turn over the advancements made in the titling procedures thanks to the 2011 law.

Our final update for the month comes from Wisconsin, where Governor Scott Walker has signed a SEMA-supported bill into law that allows for slight modifications of collector vehicles, as well as exempts collector cars and former military vehicles from importer certification label requirements.

Prior to the bill being signed, owners of collector vehicles were subject to their registration requests being denied if they made modifications to their vehicles, such as adding safety glass, hubcaps, a radio or even radial tires. Now that the bill has been signed into law, however, collector vehicles can be modified and still registered as long as the body of the vehicle remains factory correct.

Also included in the new law are expanded rights for owners of historic or former military vehicles. Per the new law, these vehicles can now be operated for occasional personal use, such as in parades, car shows and taking them to repair or maintenance facilities.

Spring is just around the corner and if you’re like us, you’re just itching to get your latest project out of the garage. While our sights are on future shows and our minds are on completing our cars’ finishing touches, it is important to continue to stay informed about legislation that could affect your upcoming show or cruise season. Thankfully, SEMA continues to have you covered!