A new year means new battles to be fought on the legislative forefront, and lucky for us, SEMA continues their watchful practices for 2014. But just because they’re being watched doesn’t mean that legislators all over the country aren’t still introducing bills aimed at limited or banning the use of our hobby vehicles. So it’s still as important as ever to know what’s happening in your state and on the federal level so that you can continue to use your hot rod hobby vehicle as freely as possible. Here’s what could affect you this month from SEMA’s Law & Order update.

Our first update comes from Massachusetts where The Joint Transportation Committee heard testimony regarding a bill that would ban the sale and use of exhaust pipe that would increase the noise of the vehicle it was installed on. Opposed by SEMA, if passed, the bill would put certain parameters in place for motorcycle exhaust noise but would allow for selective judgment calls to be made on other motor vehicles with modified exhaust systems by law enforcement officers. The bill has not been voted on yet, but remains eligible for an executive session by the committee.

In Ohio, legislators are working on a limit for another vehicle modification- headlamps. SEMA is currently working with legislators to make sure that legislation requiring headlamps to emit a “white light” will have provisions that incorporate federal standards for lighting equipment. Within this federal standard, headlights are allowed to emit a blue-tint but still be within the perimeters of a white light.

Continuing on with the modification trend, Wisconsin’s full Assembly recently passed a bill that would allow for modifications to collector vehicles such as the installation of safety glass, hubcaps, radial tires or a radio, as long as the body of the original vehicle is not modified. With Governor Scott Walker’s impending signature, this bill will also exempt collector vehicles, former military vehicles, and historic military vehicles from importer certification label requirements. Expanded rights will also be given to owners of historic military vehicles.

Historic military vehicles may also be gaining rights in Michigan, as legislation has been introduced that would exempt them from displaying a license plate if the vehicle was not originally manufactured with mounting and lighting provisions for the plate.

If passed, the bill would require historic military vehicles without plates displayed to still carry a license plate, which could be requested by law enforcement officers upon a regular traffic stop.

Rounding out our Law & Order update, we return to Massachusetts, where license plates are also getting a bit of attention. Thanks to a SEMA-supported bill, owners of all motor vehicles may only have to obtain and display a single license plate on their vehicles in the near future.

The year is just starting and that means plenty of legislative action is sure to go down. But with SEMA on the hobbyists’ side, we can rest assured that legislatures won’t be able to pass anti-hobby laws without at least a fight from one of the biggest names in the automotive industry.

The Joint Transportation Committee has considered the bill but has not yet voted on it. If passed, single license plates would be required to be displayed on the rear of every applicable and registered vehicle.

To stay up to date on all your local and federal legislative moves, be sure to visit both SEMA and the SEMA Action Network online, and join their efforts!