4C’s Legislative Alert – State House Adopts Bill to Limit Miles an Antique Car Can Be Driven
Tuesday June 4, 2013.
House Bill 6629, “An Act Concerning Regionalism in Connecticut” has been on the House Calendar since April 18, 2013. There was nothing adverse to the antique auto hobby in this bill.
Very late last night, the House introduced and adopted two amendments to this bill that adversely impact the antique auto hobby. The amendments incorporate the recommendations from the M.O.R.E. Commission that I have reported on in the 4C’s newsletter. House Bill 6629, including these two amendments, passed the House this morning at 12:07 AM. The bill is now on its way to the Senate for consideration, which may happen very quickly since the legislative session is scheduled to end on Wednesday June 5th. The amended version of this bill impacts the antique auto hobby in the following ways:
1) The maximum $500 assessed value for the purposes of determining local property tax is increased to $1000.00
2) The minimum age of an antique, rare or special interest motor vehicle, or modified antique motor vehicle is increased from 20 to 30 years.
3) Any vehicle currently issued a special number plate, (an Early American plate) for an antique, rare or special interest motor vehicle that is less than thirty years old on or before July 1, 2013, shall not be required to forfeit such special number plate. (That is a good thing and what we asked for at the public hearing.)
4) Fees collected by the DMV for antique, rare or special interest motor vehicles shall be deposited in the “municipal reimbursement and revenue account” instead of the “special transportation fund.” No increase in the registration fees of antique motor vehicles is specified in the bill as amended.
5) The owner of a vehicle with antique plates must certify that such motor vehicle is not driven more than two thousand miles in a two-year period and provides any additional information the commissioner may require.
At this point, I think we are okay with the first three items listed above (we simply may have to live with the increased maximum assessed value from $500 to $1000 – it is better than $2500). The fourth item, where the state puts the money they get from antique auto registrations, does not appear to be of concern to the hobby.
It is the 5th item listed above that is the most troubling. It is described in Section 85 on page 82 of 101 of House Amendment Schedule B (LCO #8721) to House Bill 6629. This section adds a new limit on how many miles an antique car can be driven to a maximum of 2000 miles in two years. While likely acceptable for the many of the antique cars in the state, this limit may be overly restrictive for many hobbyists who attend frequent auto shows or those who use their vehicles in regional road tours. (Such as those who participated Freedom Road Rally who visited the 4C’s New England Air Museum Show this past Sunday.) This new limitation has been added without any opportunity for a public hearing or public feedback.
At this point, the bill as amended has been adopted by the House and is on its way to a Senate for consideration. Since the Legislative Session ends this Wednesday (June 5th), if you want to express you opposition to this aspect of the bill you need to contact your State Senator via the phone or E-mail as soon as possible using the following suggested talking point:
Early Tuesday morning (June 4) the House passed House Bill 6629 “An Act Concerning Regionalism in Connecticut” as amended by House Amendment Schedule B (LCO #8721). Section 85 of House Amendment Schedule B limits the maximum distance an antique vehicle can be driven to 2000 miles in a two year period. I am opposed to this new limitation. I feel this limitation, which was adopted without an opportunity for a public hearing, is overly restrictive, and may limit my ability to drive my antique vehicle for occasional pleasure use and to and from antique auto shows and club tours
