“Leno’s Law” gains momentum in California State Senate

Senate Bill 712, a bill aimed at relaxing smog check requirements for classic cars in California, is on its way to the state’s Senate Appropriations Committee after passing a 9-to-2 vote last week in the Senate Transportation Committee.

Also known as “Leno’s Law” because of its backing by former “Tonight Show” host and longtime car enthusiast Jay Leno, the bill expands upon the current law that provides partial exemptions for classic cars.

Currently, only cars manufactured before 1976 qualify for partial smog check exemptions. SB-712, however, would remove the requirement to pass a smog check for cars 35 years or older–as long as those cars are insured as collector vehicles.

If passed, the bill would, in theory, help keep more older cars on the road by removing at least some of the red tape of owning a classic car in California.

You can read the full text of SB-712 here.

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Comments

aircooled MegaDork
4/14/25 12:32 p.m.

I am just not sure how this will ever get past CARB, who have already talked about how this will release mass amounts of pollutants (...muttering about massive clouds from wild fires...).  Maybe they don't have any say over something like this?  Which seems wildly unlikely.

Certainly would like to see it happen, but... California... for f's sake, they are outlawing purchasing gas generators! (next year I believe)

I mean,  I talked to a smog technician recently about this and he was very doubtful.  He mentioned they are going to (want to?) require off road farm equipment to be tested!

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