Senate Bill 1532 (Vogel-R-Beaver) which Sen. Vogel explained would exempt light passenger vehicles ten years old or newer and alternative fuel vehicles from the vehicle emissions inspection program was reported out of the Senate Transportation Committee Tuesday and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

The language in Senate Bill 1532, however, says, “(5) Emission inspection criteria for newest model year vehicles.-- A subject vehicle never before registered in this Commonwealth or any other jurisdiction shall be exempt from the requirements for emission inspection for ten years from the date of original registration.”

"I want to thank the members of the Senate Transportation Committee for voting to move this commonsense, bipartisan legislation forward," said Sen. Elder Vogel.  "This legislation will help drivers to avoid this costly and inherently unfair emissions testing program, while also making sure our air remains clean."

The statewide emissions failure rate is less than 2.5 percent of all vehicles with the newest vehicles failing at a rate of one quarter of one percent. Despite the very low failure rate, the emissions testing program costs more than $250 million a year for consumers according to Drive Clean PA and millions of tax dollars to administer by the Commonwealth. 

Newer state and federal laws have done much to address vehicle emissions, including requirements that cars sold in Pennsylvania have to meet more stringent California emission standards. 

The Federal Government requires certain areas in Pennsylvania to test emissions but gives the states wide latitude in its implementation.  All of the states required to check emissions from vehicles provide for many exemptions from their testing while Pennsylvania only exempts light passenger diesel vehicles. 

Senate Bill 1532 would also add exemptions for electric, hybrid electric or compressed natural gas vehicles from the requirements of Pennsylvania's emissions testing program.

"As I have said, I think the Federal Government needs to give serious consideration to ending these testing requirements.  There is no better example of how absurd this has become than Ellwood City Borough in my district.  The Borough is located in both Beaver and Lawrence counties and some residents on one side of Division Street are required to get tested while the residents on the other are not," Sen. Vogel added. "The goal of this legislation to make this program more consumer-friendly.  It's clear that cleaner vehicles are helping the air and environment we live in, but a costly annual emission test program is not."

“It’s time to update our automobile mandates to reflect reality,” said Sen. John Wozniak (D-Cambria), a co-sponsor of the bill. “When emissions inspections were enacted, there were still a lot of old, polluting cars on the road.  Today, nearly all cars pass the emissions test and drivers have to pay up to $50 to be told what they already know.”

“Other states have waived emissions inspections for new cars up to a certain age, saving taxpayers a small fortune,” he said.  “Pennsylvania’s new car owners  have already paid dearly for that new car technology, they shouldn’t have to pay for a redundant test.”

NewsClip: Auto Emissions Exemption Bill Advances In Senate

6/25/2012