CT Owners - Proposed Bill 5971: AN ACT CONCERNING THE REGISTRATION OF COMPOSITE CARS

[Redfish]

Connecticut Owners - if you've followed my prior threads, you are aware that under the current statutes, DMV states that Composite (kit / replica) vehicles in CT are NEVER eligible for classic plates, even after 20 years old. If you have them today, you are lucky. My understanding is several folks have recently requested classic plates, without success.

Passing of this bill would allow us to to proudly display classic vehicle plates on our composite vehicle, reflecting a more period correct appearance.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/2023/TOB/H/PD...971-R00-HB.PDF

Steps to the process:
The bill is introduced as a concept (done)
The bill will go to (likely) the transportation committee to be drafted
The committee will need to be supportive for the legislative commission office to draft the bill language
If and when it makes it to committee, there will be a public hearing. We should testify and organize like minded to people / companies to provide testimony

I will keep the forum posted, but please share with other auto enthusiasts and companies. I would suggest reaching out to you local reps and legislators to gain their support as well.

[twobjshelbys]

I assume you're in contact with the state legislators (individually, even if a form letter, to every one).

Write letters to the editor of every newspaper in the state.

Letters to car clubs encouraging them to engage their members. Go to some, I always saw people dropping flyers for other shows - use that contact info.

Go post on SAAC.

Doesn't SEMA have a lobbying group???

[Redfish]

Sorry, missed this reply earlier. I've been in touch with a few, particularly the Rep who helped put forth the proposed bill. Still more work to do.

I shared this information on the other forums as well, and reached out to a few of the kit companies in CT.

The CT car council is aware, and monitors all vehicle-related legislation in CT.

I will reach out to SEMA, which I did on prior year legislation. Got a response, but no clear advocacy. Hopefully better engagement this year.

I've tried approaching my 'problem' from several angles, not sure what to do if this path is not a success.

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

I assume you're in contact with the state legislators (individually, even if a form letter, to every one).

Write letters to the editor of every newspaper in the state.

Letters to car clubs encouraging them to engage their members. Go to some, I always saw people dropping flyers for other shows - use that contact info.

Go post on SAAC.

Doesn't SEMA have a lobbying group???

[twobjshelbys]

You're facing the fact that these people would just as well want to remove all gas powered vehicles from the road and see legislation like this counter to that. They don't want you to collect cars, they want you to collect bit coins. You know the double mint struck ones.

[Redfish]

Yeah, what was a loophole money grab has likely morphed into a money grab + “we are saving the environment by pushing out this single cobra from Middletown, CT”. Such heroes.

I think there’s a fair amount of pressure on the state to modify the vehicle assessment / tax process, now that CT is apparently sitting on a load of money. We’ll see what this year’s legislative session brings.

IMO, if the replica manufacturers don’t help us, I could see demand drying up.

[twobjshelbys]

States are going to have to come to grips with the loss of revenue to electric vehicles. The gas tax is a fair tax - you use it you pay. But EVs don't use gas. So either they to start charging for the miles driven which is going to be a hard sell because the biggest chunk of miles we put on our cars is NOT in our home state... Anyone that takes road trips would pay their home state the usage tax. Maybe that "averages" out over a population.

[Redfish]

Yeah, I haven’t thought too deep on EVs. All I know is both my monthly gas and electric bills have skyrocketed. Search ‘Eversource CT’.

May need solar panels or smartflowers at some point. Some solution that gets me off the grid, but doesn’t raise my assessment / taxes.

[Redfish]

Some progress. If / when this goes to public hearing, need support!

Jan 18: Referred to Joint Committee on Transportation
Feb 01: Reserved for Subject Matter Public Hearing

https://www.cga.ct.gov/2023/TS/H/PDF...RA-CV16-TS.PDF

I tried to post a pic of the form, but the image size is huge…

[Redfish]

Got an update from my rep today: “I spoke with the chair of the transportation committee. They are going to raise it for a public hearing, not sure the date.”

Once I know more/when, I will share. Hope we can get a strong representation from our group / other automotive enthusiasts.

[PDUB]

Best of luck, Red! We're all rooting for you!

[Redfish]

Thanks Paul. Gotta fight for your right!

Just sent an email to SEMA action network, and drafting a letter to send to my state senator.

Originally Posted by PDUB

Best of luck, Red! We're all rooting for you!

[spdbrake]

From what I think I understand is > You want to be able to run Classic/Antique tags as that will drop the taxes on your MKII FFR dramatically?
These are only assumptions on my part.
As you have "Factory Five MKII - Taxed out of Connecticut". I get that.
But I'm not getting the "Gotta fight for your right!" comment though.

But on the dealer side of things.

Although Vintage Motorsports (The best BDR builder out there), and ERA Replicas are both based in CT, I highly doubt they'll come to your aid.
If they did make a ruckus and push it uphill, it could blowback and end up like the CA SB100 or worse and reg the car on the year engine installed.

The replica market operates in a gray area and the term sleeping dogs comes to mind.

No rock throwing intended here btw, just my $.02.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by spdbrake

But I'm not getting the "Gotta fight for your right!" comment though.

Hearkening back to the Beastie Boy concerts. Ahhh, the good ol' days.

[Redfish]

A lot to unpack here...and most of it I don't disagree.

I'll say the gray area unfortunately spills over into other areas:

It allows assessors the ability to assess these vehicles at extreme values, since there is no NADA or set market value per replica brand or build standard

Is an FFR donor build worth the same as a Kirkham or Superformance (no offense to my FFR). My town thinks so.

It allows DMV the ability to state these vehicles are NEVER eligible for classic plates

They are benefiting from this gray area, certainly more than the replica owner

I can tell you that if I knew I'd have to face $1500 per year in vehicle property tax on a kit I bought for $10K in 2003 and I built in my own garage, I would NOT have bought a replica cobra.

Folks in CT need to realize this risk prior to purchasing a kit or vehicle that will be deemed a 'composite vehicle' by the state of Connecticut.


All I'm asking for is composite / replica vehicles to have the same treatment as production vehicles.

As for 'fight for my right', not sure what else to say, but the last few years feels like taxation without representation / justification. Maybe I'll dump some tea into the Connecticut River, it runs right through Middletown.

Originally Posted by spdbrake

From what I think I understand is > You want to be able to run Classic/Antique tags as that will drop the taxes on your MKII FFR dramatically?
These are only assumptions on my part.
As you have "Factory Five MKII - Taxed out of Connecticut". I get that.
But I'm not getting the "Gotta fight for your right!" comment though.

But on the dealer side of things.

Although Vintage Motorsports (The best BDR builder out there), and ERA Replicas are both based in CT, I highly doubt they'll come to your aid.
If they did make a ruckus and push it uphill, it could blowback and end up like the CA SB100 or worse and reg the car on the year engine installed.

The replica market operates in a gray area and the term sleeping dogs comes to mind.

No rock throwing intended here btw, just my $.02.

[PDUB]

Originally Posted by spdbrake

From what I think I understand is > You want to be able to run Classic/Antique tags as that will drop the taxes on your MKII FFR dramatically?
These are only assumptions on my part.
As you have "Factory Five MKII - Taxed out of Connecticut". I get that.
But I'm not getting the "Gotta fight for your right!" comment though.

But on the dealer side of things.

Although Vintage Motorsports (The best BDR builder out there), and ERA Replicas are both based in CT, I highly doubt they'll come to your aid.
If they did make a ruckus and push it uphill, it could blowback and end up like the CA SB100 or worse and reg the car on the year engine installed.

The replica market operates in a gray area and the term sleeping dogs comes to mind.

No rock throwing intended here btw, just my $.02.

I don't think it could get much worse for Red than it is... I think his car has been mostly in the garage for the last few years!!

[Redfish]

Public Hearing February 15th. More to come…

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillst...hich_year=2023

[twobjshelbys]

Wow, not much notice for the hearing. I assume you'll be going? Have you alerted SEMA? If they can't attend in person maybe you can get them to give you a letter to be read into the record.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

Wow, not much notice for the hearing. I assume you'll be going? Have you alerted SEMA? If they can't attend in person maybe you can get them to give you a letter to be read into the record.

If you don't want feedback, you set your hearing down on short notice and at an inconvenient time and date. Then your report back that there was very little interest in the proposed bill. But you can still say you tried.

[Redfish]

Yep, that’s the plan. I shared the hearing date on the other forums too, you guys are the most responsive! Wanna come?!

May submit written testimony as well.

I reached out to SEMA SAN via email, no response. I just checked their website, looks like it’s not being tracked either.

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

Wow, not much notice for the hearing. I assume you'll be going? Have you alerted SEMA? If they can't attend in person maybe you can get them to give you a letter to be read into the record.

[Cashburn]

FYI SEMA just sent out an email notification on the bill through the SAN (SEMA Action Network).

You can voice support easily here: https://p2a.co/xddZpqo?utm_campaign=...m_source=iPost