Thomas Howard's plight on smogging his car in California comes
at an interesting time. I interpret he recently-released
Senate Bill 807 to repeal the current laws of requiring that the vehicle
pass "visual inspection", and will base the test solely
on tail-pipe emissions. I found it at:
http://www.sen.ca.gov/htbin/ca-billpage/sb/807/
I'm not very clear on the wording, and have written to Thompson
asking for clarification. I'll let you all know if my intrepretation
is correct.
Text of SB807 follows:
INTRODUCED BY Senator Thompson
FEBRUARY 26, 1997
An act to add Section 44006 to the Health and Safety Code,
relating to air pollution.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 807, as introduced, M. Thompson. Vehicles: inspection and maintenance.
Existing law establishes the vehicle inspection and
maintenance program and makes findings and declarations relative
to the program.
This bill would make additional findings and declarations
relative to the purpose of the program.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.
SECTION 1. Section 44006 is added to the Health and Safety
Code, to read:
44006. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the
purpose of the smog check program is to ensure that California
vehicles perform to standards determined to meet clean air
goals. The program should ensure that this remains the primary
goal and that vehicle test failures in the program be based
solely on the air emissions performance of the vehicle and not
on visual, "under the hood" examinations.
Shane Ingate in San Diego
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