Wisconsin legislative alert

We have mentioned the following legislative alert in Old Cars Weekly, but the this update includes the date and time of a hearing.

URGENT REGULATORY ALERT (Hearing Information)

WI Proposal to Restrict Registration of Imported Collector Cars to be Considered on Wed., Feb. 10
A hearing on a Wisconsin regulatory proposal to prohibit the registration of certain imported collector vehicles will be considered by the state’s Assembly and Senate Transportation Committees on Wednesday, September 22. The proposal, Chapter Trans 123 (“Trans 123”)/Clearinghouse Rule 09-044 (“CR 09-044”), was put forth by the WI Department of Transportation to prohibit the registration of imported vehicles manufactured after 1967 that do not meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). U.S. law specifically exempts imported vehicles that are 25 years old and older from these safety standards. Trans 123 offers no such reasonable exemption. The regulation permits the continued registration of subject vehicles that are already legally registered in Wisconsin, but only until they are transferred to a new owner. The rule is currently being reviewed by the Senate and Assembly Transportation Committees as the last step in the regulatory approval process. The committees will have until October 10, 2010 to raise an objection.
Attendance at this hearing is highly recommended for anyone who opposes Trans 123. The hearing will take place on Wednesday, September 22 at the following address and time:
State House
2 East Main Street, Room 412 E
Madison, Wisconsin
10:00 AM
For those unable to attend the hearing, we urge you to contact all members of the Assembly and Senate Transportation Committees (List Attached Below) immediately to request their opposition to Trans 123
· Imported vehicles 25 years old or older are usually brought into this country by hobbyists as unique collector vehicles.
· Trans 123 fails to recognize the fact that collector vehicles are overwhelmingly well-maintained and infrequently driven.
· Trans 123 is inconsistent with Federal law and would prohibit the registration of vehicles coming in from other states that have already been proven safe on U.S. roads.
· Trans 123 provides no way for vehicle owners to prove that a vehicle is safe other than conforming exclusively to the FMVSS.
· Trans 123 would deny legal registration to these imported vehicles once sold or transferred to a different owner.

DON’T DELAY! Please contact all members of the Wisconsin Senate and House Transportation Committees to request their opposition to Trans 123. Please e-mail a copy of your letter to Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org. Thank you for your assistance.

Wisconsin Senate Transportation Committee
Senator Jim Holperin – Chair
Email: Sen.Holperin@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-2509

Senator Jim Sullivan
Email: Sen.Sullivan@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-2512

Senator Jeffrey Plale
Email: Sen.Plale@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-7505

Senator David Hansen
Email: Sen.Hansen@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-5670

Senator Joseph Leibham
Email: Sen.Leibham@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-2056

Senator Neal Kedzie
Email: Sen.Kedzie@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-2635

Senator Glenn Grothman
Email: Sen.Grothman@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-7513

Wisconsin Assembly Transportation Committee
Representative John Steinbrink – Chair
Email: Rep.Steinbrink@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-0455

Representative Ted Zigmunt - Vice-Chair
Email: Rep.Zigmunt@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-9870

Representative Amy Sue Vruwink
Email: Rep.Vruwink@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-8366

Representative Phil Garthwaite
Email: Rep.Garthwaite@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-1170

Representative Jason Fields
Email: Rep.Fields@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-3756

Representative Penny Bernard Schaber
Email: Rep.BernardSchaber@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-3070

Representative Christine Sinicki
Email: Rep.Sinicki@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-8588

Representative Jerry Petrowski
Email: Rep.Petrowski@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-1182

Representative Alvin Ott
Email: Rep.Ott@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-5831

Representative Jeff Stone
Email: Rep.Stone@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-8590

Representative Garey Bies
Email: Rep.Bies@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-5350

Representative Keith Ripp
Email: Rep.Ripp@legis.wisconsin.gov
Phone: 608/266-3404