Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Vehicle Regulation Ulv topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee orders report on ultra-low-volume vehicles, VINs and emissions certification
Summary
A Senate addition would require the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and others to study options for issuing VINs, certifying safety and emissions for ultra-low-volume vehicles, and streamlining registration; the committee discussed NHTSA waivers and alternatives used in other states such as California.
The conference committee reviewed Senate language that would direct the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, in consultation with the Secretary of Natural Resources and representatives of ultra-low-volume vehicle manufacturers, to prepare a report on options for issuing Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) and certifying safety and emissions for kit cars, home-built vehicles and other ultra-low-volume motor vehicles.
Damian Leonard explained the background: federal and state processes vary, and some states have limited waivers or alternative certification paths. "There is a NHTSA waiver for up to 325," Leonard said, noting that the committees drafting borrowed the low-volume thresholds used in other jurisdictions and that manufacturers producing 5,000 or fewer vehicles annually are considered low-volume for related programs.
Leonard flagged a drafting concern in the Senate language around whether the report would examine waiving emissions requirements or identifying cost-effective emissions certification processes. He advised the committee to consider amending the language to allow the study to examine processes in other states, including California, so the report could include a range of options from waivers to alternative certification mechanisms.
The committee did not adopt final language during the walkthrough but identified the study and report as items to refine in conference.
