Loophole

I have been trying to write this for at least a week. I have been working on a way to keep it short so as not to loose you in some long diatribe. I have not come up with a way, so I'll sell it in small increments.

It started a few months ago with an editorial article in a major publication asking a question. The Question was, "can our hobby be outlawed"? The answer was yes. This subject continued with different wording through every major Auto Enthusiast Magazine, coming to the exact same conclusion. They can Legislate us out of existence.

The main purpose of these articles and editorials was to get the word out on how to contact your legislators. The articles also stated ways to keep the wolves at bay by introducing legislation in favor of our hobby. As we all know if we don't introduce a way to police ourselves, the state will, in a much more restrictive manner than we really want. Or possibly by imposing a fee so exorbitant we could no longer afford to be in the hobby.

In our state we have a system that works on the committee/public hearing format, which in itself is a good system as long as you know the ins and outs. A person or an organization can talk a legislator into sponsoring a bill which then goes to the committee that is in charge of the subject matter. At some point a public hearing is scheduled and those Proponents and Opponents are able to expend their respective opinions before the committee.

The organization that has introduced the most legislation that is Pro-Hobby is SEMA or in our state the Maine Custom Automobile Association. They have worked with Stakeholders and State Agencies to get legislation passed that will assure our hobby continues for years to come, but have also battled other agencies that want us to fade into history. I myself have worked with the MCAA and at times have been in opposition to some of their agenda.

A loophole exists in our hobby that allows several hundred vehicle owners to circumvent the rules and regulations, by allowing them to register their older vehicles as Antiques. These vehicles have either been deemed unsafe by Motor Vehicle Inspection regulations or the owner has made some modification as to cause it to be un-inspectable. Most of these are the former and really raise the ire of the State Agencies in charge of Vehicle Inspection and Registration. The Agencies have murmured quite often that they need to close this loophole in any way they can.

In a move to Preempt the state, the MCAA has gotten a piece of legislation Sponsored that will help in partial closure of the loophole. This will be done with a wording change to existing language and the formation of a stakeholders group consisting of hobbyist organizations, state agencies and individuals who have an interest in our hobby. Ultimately, this group will work together in coming to a viable plan with those parties involved to close this wound.

As soon as I get the final language we will continue this. With a little history lesson.