O.K. Region 2 members. We need to ban together to make sure this bill does NOT get passed.
It is bill H.B. 1722. In a nut shell, this bill will ban the sale or installation of “an exhaust system which has been modified in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the exhaust” .
I've taken the following points from the SEMA web site:
• H.B. 1722 ignores the fact that aftermarket exhaust systems are designed to make vehicles run more efficiently without increasing emissions.

• H.B. 1722 does not supply law enforcement with a clear standard to enforce, allowing them to make subjective judgments on whether or not a modified exhaust system is in violation.

• H.B. 1722 fails to recognize that aftermarket exhaust systems offer increased performance, which can make a vehicle safer by improving its ability to merge, pass, travel uphill, etc.

• H.B. 1722 would make it difficult for hobbyists to replace factory exhaust systems with more durable, better performing options.


For more details and the names , phone numbers and email address's of the House Steering, Policy, and Scheduling Committee, please go to:
Speciality Automotive Market Association (http://www.enjoythedrive.com/content/?ID=32598)


For more information or comments please email Jay Levitan at jlevitan@holycross.edu or call me at 508-793-3847.

Lets not sit on the sidelines on this one and get stuck with a real bad law that will adversely affect our hobby.

This bill is NOT DEAD, but needs to be defeated! :mad: It is back with a new number, but the text is the same.

Massachusetts Bill to Ban the Sale/Installation of Aftermarket Exhaust Systems to be Considered by Full House of Representatives. This Legislative bill will hurt our hobby. You can read about it on the SEMA (Specialty Automotive Manufacture Association) Action Network. They refer to this as SAN. http://www.semasan.com/main/main.aspx?id=61569

We need to ban together to make sure this bill does NOT get passed. Lets not sit on the sidelines on this one and get stuck with a real bad law that will adversely affect our hobby.

Below is the copy of the letter that I have sent to my representatives. Feel free to modify and copy any part of it. I urge each and every Massachusetts member to actively contact your representative and ask them to oppose this bill.


Your name and
Address here

Dear

My name is Jay W. Levitan. I live and vote in Leicester, Massachusetts and work in Worcester. I was born in Massachusetts and have spent the majority of my life in Massachusetts. I am the New England regional director for the car club “National El Camino Owners Association” (NECOA). We are a national car club that promotes the safe responsible use and restoration of Chevrolet El Camino's. Our New England region has 73 car club members that live in Massachusetts.

I am writing you to urge your opposition of H.B. 2011 which intends “to ban the sale or installation of an exhaust system which has been modified in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the exhaust”. Please consider the following points:

• H.B. 2011 ignores the fact that aftermarket exhaust systems are designed to make vehicles run more efficiently without increasing emissions.

• H.B. 2011 does not supply law enforcement with a clear standard to enforce, allowing them to make subjective judgments on whether or not a modified exhaust system is in violation.

• H.B. 2011 fails to recognize that aftermarket exhaust systems offer increased performance, which can make a vehicle safer by improving its ability to merge, pass, travel uphill, etc.

• H.B. 2011 would make it difficult for hobbyists to replace factory exhaust systems with more durable, better performing options.

As an active car enthusiast who relies on the legislative body to ensure that I may legally update the mechanical parts in my vehicles, I strongly believe that bill H.B. 2011 will prevent me from doing that.

Please help the auto enthusiast's in Massachusetts and oppose this bill. Our air will be cleaner and our vehicles will be more fuel efficient.

May I request to get a written response as to your position on this matter?

I appreciate and thank you for your time,

Jay W. Levitan
Your name, Address
And phone number here

Good luck with that guys, hope you shoot it down.

I don't have an exhaust like that but I wouldn't want it to be banned in my area.

Thanks for the support Raven777.

I don't have an exhaust like that but I wouldn't want it to be banned in my area.

You're very lucky that your lawmakers are not trying to pass a law like this. This law in MA. would prevent you from putting on headers, non -stock dual's, Flowmasters type mufflers, etc. It is a lousy bill and I hope if fails.

I did write my Representatives and actually heard back from a few. Here are some examples:
Thank you for the email Jay and I agree with your position.

Anne Gobi

Dear Jay,

I appreciate your email. I certainly don't want to impose any
legislation that would inhibit your ability to enjoy your passion for
cars. I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind as I approach this
bill.

Sincerely,

Lew Evangelidis


Thanks for your thoughts Jay !

Make it a Great Day,


Robert P. Spellane
State Representative
13th Worcester District
State House, Room 254: 617-722-2220
District Office located at 1094 Pleasant St.: 508-799-3948
www.bobspellane.com


I am hoping to see other regional members correspond with their respective representatives to get the message out.

Received another response from a representative. I'm hoping more MA. members of this and other clubs in MA. petition as hard as possible to voice their opposition. Our lawmakers actually do listen to people who take the time to write and voice their opinion. Even in an incredibly liberal state such as Massachusetts.

Dear Mr. Levitan,

Thank you for contacting my office regarding H. 2011. I always
appreciate getting feedback from constituents regarding the issues we
are taking up in the Legislature.

Please know that should this bill come to the House Floor, I will take
your thougths into consideration.

Again, thank you for contacting my office and please do not hesitate to
do so in the future.

Sincerely,

John P. Fresolo
State Representative
16th Worcester District

Jay --- I am a bit confused ????

I immediately responded to your post in Reg2 and wrote to my local rep (a freind) with a humorous but POINTED note about HB 2011

now you are talking about HB 1722

when I visited the SEMA site I noted a few upcoming proposals which concerned me (did you note the one about blue dot lenses?)

For now though - whats up are we supposed to be trying to derail HB 2011 or HB 1722 ?

before I send out a bulk mailing to many of his colleagues I need to know - also i don't want him and his staff scratching their heads wondering what I am talking about !

I would like to stay ON this Jay - thanks in advance for your help

el Bandido
Tom

Good evening Tom. My fault and sorry for the confusion. I should have clarified.

The very first part of this post was dated in 2004 when it was H.B. 1722 and was in committee. But after it left committee, it received its present number of H.B. 2011 in the end of 2005. H.B. 2011 is the number I would reference in all communication in our efforts to oppose this bill.

Again, sorry for the confusion.

Did you receive my last two emails with Word document attachments regarding this issue? I'm pretty sure you are on my email list.

When you receive a written response, please feel free to post it here.

I've been in contact with Steve McDonald from the Sema Action Network, and he appreciates all who step up to the plate and write their representatives.

Received a response from State Representative Thomas A. Golden, Jr. Chairman Committee on Bills in the Third Reading.
I'm hoping more MA. members of this and other clubs in MA. petition as hard as possible to voice their opposition. Our lawmakers actually do listen to people who take the time to write and voice their opinion. Even in an incredibly liberal state such as Massachusetts.

Please contact me directly at jlevitan@holycross.edu if you need assistance in contacting your Representative.


Dear Concerned Citizen,


I am writing to thank you for taking the time to contact my office regarding H.2011 "An Act Relative to Mufflers." Currently our Committee is reviewing this legislation, as we do with all bills that are before us, to ensure that the bill is constitutional, properly drafted, and not duplicative of any existing laws.



It is clear from the number of emails, phone calls and letters that our office has received that this bill affects a wide variety of individuals and organizations. I appreciate both the in-depth and passionate views that all of you have expressed concerning the impact of this bill on the automotive industry in general and hobby enthusiasts in particular.



It is always beneficial for me to gather various points of view on issues that we consider and an even greater help when those views come from our constituents. I truly appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to voice your concerns on the muffler bill. I will take the information that you and many others have expressed regarding this important issue into consideration.



Once again, thank you for contacting my office.

Sincerely,

Tom

State Representative Thomas A. Golden, Jr.
Chairman
Committee on Bills in the Third Reading
State House, Room 20
Boston, MA 02133
617-722-2410

Dear Concerned Citizen,


I am writing to thank you for taking the time to contact my office regarding H.2011 "An Act Relative to Mufflers." Currently our Committee is reviewing this legislation, as we do with all bills that are before us, to ensure that the bill is constitutional, properly drafted, and not duplicative of any existing laws.





Although your State Representative doesn't state his position on this Bill...(typical politician)...I think that "properly drafted" pretty much says it all. If he was opposed to it...he would have said so. Doesn't look good IMO.

Yes, I agree, he did not say he would oppose this bill. The only thing I can add is that he did meet with car club presidents and did listen to our concerns.
They have received a decent amount of email opposing this bill. So, that is a good thing. The fact that this bill stays alive and will not die, no matter how much opposition, is probably not a good sign. :mad:

Have you tried putting his feet to the fire and asking him straight up for HIS stance on this Bill, and not what THE COMMITTEE is condsidering? Man, I hate how politicians avoid answering direct questions, I'm sure they do too. At least you'll know how to vote during his next election campaign that way! Maybe you need to make a new letter available to your group to email him and the others saying if they vote yes on the Bill, you'll vote NO next time on them...time for a little game of hardball!

Have you tried putting his feet to the fire and asking him straight up for HIS stance on this Bill, and not what THE COMMITTEE is condsidering?

Yes, way ahead of you, I did exactly that. :) In my letter (I put a copy up above in this post), I actually wrote:

Please help the auto enthusiast's in Massachusetts and oppose this bill. Our air will be cleaner and our vehicles will be more fuel efficient.

May I request to get a written response as to your position on this matter?

I appreciate and thank you for your time,


Plus, when I wrote, I actually wrote individual letters addressed to individual representatives. What I received back was "Dear Concerned Citizen" that was emailed to 50 or 60 people at a time. :mad:

every state i move to turns lame.
why cant we just have are cars sound nice and run better.

Without my headers id still be getting manifold leaks.
without me new exhaust id still be getting leaks out of my cat and my 30yd old pypes.

by going true dual, with xpypes, and the headers, i have better flow for my exhaust and no more back fire.

with those upgrades i have increased my cars performance and mpg.
yet its illegal in my home residence and may be in my current in the near future.
lame.

who are your guy's reps. maybe a nice email from a military member may help. cause most of us are all car buffs anyway.

PM and ill give you my email for personall and private.