Why Smog Laws In California Need To Be Changed (According To Jay Leno)

California isn't just one of America's car culture hotspots — it's one of the world's epicenters of the motoring industry, and it's been that way since the dawn of the automobile. The Golden State is blessed with some of the best weather and the greatest driving roads anywhere on earth. Unsurprisingly, many of the world's most popular automotive subcultures have sprung from the region's big cities and small towns alike. In California, you can enjoy cars year-round, and rust is a much smaller issue than in other parts of America.

It's the perfect place to be a car enthusiast, except for one major factor: The emissions laws, known for being the most stringent anywhere in America. California's smog checks in particular make things extra difficult for enthusiasts, especially the ones who own classic cars. But a newly proposed law is hoping to ease these requirements a bit, and its biggest backer is Jay Leno, a longtime California resident and one of the world's most prolific car enthusiasts.

Currently, every car in California newer than model year 1975 is subject to regular smog tests. These checks typically must be done every two years to renew your registration, as well as any time a vehicle that is four or more years old is purchased by a new owner. This can make things difficult for gearheads looking to modify or upgrade their old project vehicle or those just wanting to keep an old vehicle on the road in its factory original condition. It's an especially big issue for cars from the '70s and 1980s, where both the parts and the mechanical expertise to keep them in line with strict state emissions standards are becoming harder to find every day.

It's a major financial and time burden not just on the owners of the cars but also the shops that test them, as they need to have the equipment and know-how to run tests on cars now approaching 50 years old. The law that Leno is backing, Senate Bill 712, or "Leno's Law," aims to address this by providing a rolling smog exemption for vehicles older than 35 years. Supporters of the bill have emphasized that the vast majority of cars 35 years old and older are owned by hobbyists and are primarily driven to car shows and on weekend pleasure drives. They aren't commuter vehicles that see thousands and thousands of miles each year.

Jay Leno has jokingly stated that he puts more miles on his old cars looking for a smog station than he does actually driving them. And given how many cars are in his collection, that's probably not much of an exaggeration. Another point that Leno has expressed during his media and public appearances supporting the bill is how different states have such vastly different rules regarding emissions checks for older vehicles. According to Leno, SB 712 would simply help bring California's standards more in line with other states.

Speaking to KCRA, California State Senator Shannon Grove, the author of the bill, said the cars that would be covered by "Leno's Law" represent just 1% of the vehicles registered in the state, meaning its overall environmental impact would be minimal. Beyond just making things easier for individual enthusiasts, the legislation could also help preserve California's car culture heritage and provide a nice economic boost to the state's large aftermarket and restoration industry.

Other legislators have tried to ease smog laws for older cars in California in the past, but they've all fizzled out. However, with Jay Leno's very public support, SB 712 might just have the chance to change the tide. As of now, the bill has passed the Senate Transportation Committee with bipartisan support and will next go to the Senate Appropriations Committee.