[Jason]

Via https://www.sema.org/sema-enews/2019...es-legislature

California Bill to Amend 2018 Exhaust Noise Law Passes Legislature

September 19, 2019

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Thanks to the efforts of Assembly Members Tim Grayson (D-Concord), Tasha Boerner-Horvath (D-Oceanside), Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Phil Chen (R-Diamond Bar), Senator Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) and enthusiasts throughout California, state lawmakers have approved SEMA-supported legislation (SB 112) that restores “fix-it” tickets for cars suspected of violating the state’s exhaust noise limit. Once signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom, SB 112 will take effect immediately.

SB 112, a budget implementation (trailer) bill, includes text drawn from SEMA-sponsored AB 390, which was authored by Assembly Members Grayson and Jim Frazier in early 2019. Under normal legislative procedure, AB 390 would not have been implemented until January 2020.

“SEMA thanks Assembly Members Grayson, Boerner-Horvath, Ting and Chen, and Senator Mitchell for their tireless work on behalf of the over 1,700 member companies based in the Golden State,” said Daniel Ingber, SEMA’s vice president for legal and government affairs. “Thanks to their efforts, enthusiasts in California will continue to be afforded due process under the law.”

SB 112 removes cars from the impact of AB 1824, which was signed into law in June of 2018. AB 1824 amended how California law enforcement officials issued citations for suspected exhaust noise violations by eliminating the ability to issue fix-it tickets, which allowed for 30-days to correct a violation. Instead, motorists received an immediate fine. The bill generated significant concern within the specialty automotive aftermarket industry and enthusiast community. Once signed into law by Gov. Newsom, SB 112 will again allow law enforcement to issue fix-it tickets.

Since 2003, exhaust systems installed on motor vehicles in California with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of less than 6,000 pounds, other than motorcycles, may not exceed a sound level of 95 decibels when tested under a Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) procedure. SB 112 does not change this.

[Commanderwiggin]

Thank you baby Jesus

[Law]

Thank goodness for SEMA and their relentless efforts.

Lobbying often gets a bad rep but this is a case where lobbying did the people a favor.

The draconian move to eliminate the "correctable" status of exhaust tickets was flawed and was nothing more than an attempted quick money-grab by the State of California whilst violating the rights of motorists.

Very glad to hear SEMA was able to knock some sense into CA legislators.
Now of course SEMA also has an interest to do so, otherwise the aftermarket industry would be negatively affected, but there's nothing wrong with a win-win situation (i.e., aftermarket continues to thrive, motorists/car enthusiasts are restored some rights).

[Eagle1oh7]

I've have yet to see any cop enforce this in San Diego, maybe if I lived around La Jolla I would get pulled over. I don't think this law was really enforceable in the first place.

[SickM2C]

Fantastic news! 🏎🏎🏎💨

[Aud Dr]

How do they measure "95 decibels"? Is this just up to the officer's judgement? What distance is the measurement taken from?

[GOLFFRR]

nice!

[jordan35i]

Wow. Just after I got my ticket too.

But on another note, THANK GOD

[jordan35i]

Originally Posted by Aud Dr

How do they measure "95 decibels"? Is this just up to the officer's judgement? What distance is the measurement taken from?

50 yards and it's complete BS because it's solely off the officer's ear (which they aren't trained for) and it's impossible to win a challenge in court.

[aryf30]

Wow my exhaust ticket due dates in 5 days 🙃

[jordan35i]

Originally Posted by Eagle1oh7

I've have yet to see any cop enforce this in San Diego, maybe if I lived around La Jolla I would get pulled over. I don't think this law was really enforceable in the first place.

Come to the Bay Area, land of SJW. That's where it is (or was) enforced.

[jordan35i]

Does this amendment change already issued tickets?

[NEFARIOUS]

Jeez... That's the ONE good thing Gaggin' Newscum did.

[NorthFLS]

Originally Posted by Aud Dr

How do they measure "95 decibels"? Is this just up to the officer's judgement? What distance is the measurement taken from?

Originally Posted by Aud Dr

How do they measure "95 decibels"? Is this just up to the officer's judgement? What distance is the measurement taken from?

I remember watching a video about it, i think it was a few designated feet behind the exhaust, and it would be read by some instrument designated to read the decibels. The video also showed some problems with the law, as certain cars came STOCK, and produced exhaust sounds that exceeded the 95 decibels....

[M-Pilot]

Originally Posted by Eagle1oh7

I've have yet to see any cop enforce this in San Diego, maybe if I lived around La Jolla I would get pulled over. I don't think this law was really enforceable in the first place.

I have seen two people in CA (an F80 M3 in Bay Area and an F87 in Huntington Beach) got an exhaust ticket with just port installed MPE in the past few months. Both cars have stock primary and secondary cats. What's worse is that the M2 couldn't pass state ref either for some stupid reason. They said not all four exhaust outlets go into the muffler, meaning the system acts as a muffler bypass. I don't know what the final outcome was but anyways... There are several people who got ticketed after the AB1824 became effective in January.

[Who's on first]

California the state that started the car craze in the state that continues to crush it.

This at least is a positive affect where it gives you some time. But I still have a hard time understanding why car people live in that state.

[RemusUSA]

Nice!!!!

[Sedan_Clan]

We haven't enforced it much down here. I've only cited people who were jerks.

[M3GymNut]

Damn for real you guys would get ticketed for loud exhausts? That's crazy. Here in Miami they don't care one bit...

[BS_CS]

[daarts]

Originally Posted by Aud Dr

How do they measure "95 decibels"? Is this just up to the officer's judgement? What distance is the measurement taken from?

Technically it's not. The officer can give you a ticket based on their own belief that the exhaust is too loud. However, here is how the California Code of Regs (CCR) requires the test to be conducted. (Current as of 9/6/2019)

https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Doc...ta=(sc.Default)

This is also the way a state referee would test your car to sign it off.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by M3GymNut

Damn for real you guys would get ticketed for loud exhausts? That's crazy. Here in Miami they don't care one bit...

It has always been like that here. The difference was that the option to make it correctable was removed (...when it was previously officer discretion). Some traffic laws even tie the hands of judges. If I cite you for tampering with the reflective coating on a license plate (...CVC 5201.1(c)) - a crime that prevents some toll cameras, red light cameras and police license plate readers from reading the plate - it's an automatic $1000 fine that even a judge can't reduce.