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Representative Noyes proposes biennial safety inspections, committee to report amendment unfavorably
Summary
Representative Noyes offered an amendment to S.326 to make most noncommercial safety inspections biennial while keeping annual emissions checks and directing agencies to seek EPA approval and review fees; the House Transportation committee voted to present the amendment on the floor with an unfavorable recommendation.
Representative Noyes proposed an amendment to S.326 that would shift most noncommercial vehicle safety inspections from annual to every other year while retaining annual emissions or onboard-diagnostics checks where applicable and directing state agencies to seek federal approval.
The amendment, presented May 20 before the House Committee on Transportation, would keep commercial motor-vehicle inspections subject to federal requirements, direct the Department of Environmental Conservation to amend the state implementation plan for inspection and maintenance and seek Environmental Protection Agency approval, and instruct the Department of Motor Vehicles to review and report on inspection fees to ensure the Transportation Fund is not harmed.
"My amendment proposes moving noncommercial vehicle inspections to every other year while maintaining annual and emissions compliance required unless the EPA approves an amendment to Vermont's state implementation plan," Representative Noyes said, describing the change as an attempt to balance safety, environmental responsibility and affordability for Vermonters, especially those in rural areas.
Committee members raised implementation, enforcement and equity concerns. Representatives asked how the state would ensure compliance in off years, whether garages could detect and prevent unsafe vehicles from leaving, and how a potential mileage-based user fee for electric vehicles would interact with altered inspection timing. Members noted testimony indicating another state, New Hampshire, faced legal challenges after changing its inspection program without federal waivers.
Adrian Pryor of the Department of Motor Vehicles told the committee the agency was not prepared to support the amendment as drafted, citing operational challenges in separating safety and emissions inspections and in implementing a biannual schedule.
Legislative counsel Damien Leonard walked the committee through the amendment text, saying it would add sections specifying the inspection schedule change, require DEC to pursue SIP changes and condition the biennial safety-inspection provision on federal approval; it would also direct DMV to report back next January on any fee-schedule revisions.
After debate and questions, a committee member moved to report the amendment. The committee counted members and reported two absences; the panel decided to present the amendment on the House floor with an unfavorable recommendation.
The amendment will next appear on the House floor for consideration. The amendment text and the DMV/DEC reports identified in the bill language will be the relevant documents for further review.
