California car culture just scored a huge win in Sacramento, passing the “Leno’s Law” bill by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 49-4 through the California Senate in favor of Senate Bill 1392. This historic law, known affectionately as “Leno’s Law” due to its namesake, Jay Leno, is intended to provide an exemption from smog testing to eligible classic cars. It was an aim which many people who have attempted to pass bills to this effect for over a decade have yet to achieve.

This bill marks the end of years of work on the part of the car collector community and their efforts to get environmental protection laws changed to accommodate their needs. From its conception as previous unsuccessful bills to the carefully phased approach it now uses, the history of the Leno’s Law bill tells an inspiring tale.

1. California’s Existing Smog Check Rules

For many years now, California drivers have been dealing with one of the toughest biannual smog test policies anywhere in the United States. As per the existing regulations, only cars manufactured prior to 1975 have been permanently exempted from the smog test, and all cars built in the period just following 1975 must undergo periodic smog tests even if they were not frequently used.

California’s Pre-Reform Smog Rules:

• 1975 cutoff for exemption
• Biennial inspections required otherwise
• Late-1970s cars caught up
• 1980s vehicles also affected
• Endless regulatory testing cycles

The strict 1975 cutoff meant that countless iconic cars, especially those from the late 1970s and 1980s, were forever caught in an endless cycle of smog testing that some car owners found progressively more and more challenging due to the lack of availability of special test equipment. Instead of just moving up this cutoff date, SB 1392 is an attempt to address this problem by creating a practical exemption process.

2. The Long Legislative Road to Leno’s Law

The legislative journey to this milestone has been anything but smooth. For more than a decade, classic car enthusiasts, automotive organizations, and their legislative supporters have worked to update California’s vintage vehicle rules. Along the way, several reform efforts faced political setbacks and delays, forcing advocates to return to the issue repeatedly. Despite these challenges, the collector car community remained committed to protecting its automotive heritage and continued pushing for meaningful changes.

Previous Reform Attempts:

• SB 1239 stalled in 2016
• AB 467 held in 2022
• SB 712 stalled mid-2024
• Over a decade of attempts
• Persistent enthusiast advocacy continued

Past bills have been thwarted in politics silently, such as Senate Bill 1239 which failed to make progress on the Senate floor during 2016 and Assembly Bill 467 which was stalled in a committee during 2022. The latest disappointment came from Senate Bill 712, which was the first version of Leno’s law, which got stalled in a committee in mid-2024.

3. Jay Leno’s Testimony and the Fall of SB 712

Senate Bill 712, which was introduced by Bakersfield Republican Senator Shannon Grove in early 2024, initially received a huge support from the collector community. Jay Leno personally appeared in Sacramento before the Senate Transportation Committee in order to tell how hard it is to smog vintage cars, based on his experience as one of the greatest collectors of cars in the world.

SB 712’s Rise and Fall:

• Leno testified before committee
• Vintage cars need specialized equipment
• Passed the full Senate
• Blocked in Appropriations suspense file
• Buffy Wicks led that committee

Jay Leno testified that unlike modern cars, which require simple plug-in smog check, vintage cars require specialized equipment that is becoming increasingly rare in most car repair shops. Though the bill had passed the Senate, it was stopped on the “suspense file” of Assembly Appropriations Committee, chaired by Democratic Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, who quietly killed the bill that the enthusiasts believed would have passed.

4. Regulatory and Environmental Concerns

State regulatory agencies had raised concerns that SB 712 could create financial losses for the Bureau of Automotive Repair and the Department of Motor Vehicles. These potential costs became an important issue for lawmakers, especially as California was already dealing with a difficult budget situation. The concerns added another layer of pressure to the proposal, making it harder for lawmakers to balance support for collector cars with the state’s financial and regulatory responsibilities.

Objections to the Earlier Bill:

• Potential fiscal losses cited
• CARB update costs $1.2 million
• Bay Area Air Quality opposed
• CAPCOA also voiced opposition
• Budget constraints cited by Wicks

Moreover, it was reported by California Air Resources Board that it would cost $1.2 million to update data models and federal pollution reduction plans. Environmental organizations, such as Bay Area Air Quality Management District and California Air Pollution Control Officers Association were also opposed to smog exemptions expansion. As noted by Assembly member Wicks at the time, the state faced serious budget issues and needed to give priority to social safety net programs, rather than to a collector car bill.

5. Rebuilding the Bill as SB 1392

Undeterred by previous setbacks, lawmakers and advocates restructured the proposal into Senate Bill 1392, introduced on February 20, 2026. Authored by Democratic Senator Dave Cortese alongside principal coauthor Senator Shannon Grove, SB 1392 refined the eligibility criteria to address previous objections directly rather than simply reintroducing the same language that had failed before.

SB 1392’s Refined Approach:

• Introduced February 20, 2026
• Authored by Senator Dave Cortese
• Grove as principal coauthor
• SEMA helped refine framework
• Focused on stewardship, limited use

Specialty Equipment Market Association collaborated extensively with the legislature and Jay Leno in shaping the legislative framework. Such an approach altered the frame of discussion from general classifications of cars to the issue of collectors taking care of the car and its use on the road, thus handling the fiscal and environmental issues that made the previous bill fail.

6. How the Phased-In Exemption Works

The newly passed SB 1392 creates a narrow, phased-in pathway specifically designed for vehicles manufactured between model years 1976 and 1985. Under the bill’s provisions, qualifying collector vehicles built before 1981 would instantly gain exemption from smog check requirements starting January 1, 2028, giving owners of the oldest eligible vehicles the earliest relief.

Exemption Rollout Timeline:

• Covers 1976-1985 model years
• Pre-1981 exempt January 2028
• One added year annually after
• Full rollout complete by 2033
• Pre-1976 exemption remains unchanged

Following that initial rollout, the exemption window expands by one additional model year each calendar year until January 1, 2033. At that point, all qualifying collector vehicles manufactured before the 1986 model year will be exempt, completing a gradual transition designed to let regulators and testing infrastructure adjust incrementally rather than all at once.

7. Safeguards Built Into the New Law

It is important to emphasize that SB 1392 leaves California’s existing exemption for pre-1976 vehicles completely intact. Instead of replacing old rules, it extends relief to cars built during what car enthusiasts commonly refer to as the “Malaise Era,” while still requiring owners to demonstrate genuine collector intent rather than simply avoiding testing costs.

Eligibility Safeguards:

• Vehicle must be 35 years old
• Proof of collector insurance required
• Or verified under 1,000 miles yearly
• Cannot be primary transportation
• DMV verifies mileage compliance

In order to qualify for the smog exemption, the vehicle has to be 35 years old and the owners have to prove that the vehicle is kept as a collector vehicle. In order to receive the exemption from smog tests, owners will need to present to DMV the proof of collector motor vehicle insurance policy or to prove that the vehicle travels less than 1,000 miles a year, with the clause stating that a classic car cannot be the primary transportation for the owner.

8. Broad Bipartisan and Grassroots Support

It is no surprise that the bill passed by such a resounding vote of 49-4, since this demonstrates an amazing level of consensus within various political factions as well as different sub-cultures within the automotive community. Leno’s Law brought people from various parties and car enthusiasts together as seldom happens nowadays with any other bill.

Coalition Behind Leno’s Law:

• 49-4 bipartisan Senate vote
• Lowrider community sent 1,700 letters
• Restoration shops rallied support
• Grassroots car clubs statewide
• FIA historic commission endorsed bill

The dedicated lowriders from California showed remarkable civic action by personally handing in more than 1,700 letters to their legislators backing the proposed bill. The international backing was provided by none other than the Fédération International de automobile’s International Historical Commission, which appreciated the fair approach of the bill towards preserving the culture.

9. Reactions from Lawmakers and Industry Leaders

Automotive leaders across the country are celebrating this legislative victory. SEMA CEO Mike Spagnola highlighted the profound cultural unity that powered this initiative across the finish line, framing the win as a testament to what organized enthusiast communities can accomplish when they speak with one voice.

Key Leader Statements:

• Spagnola praised community unity
• Cortese cited common-sense balance
• Grove highlighted generational bonds
• Both senators thanked Leno
• SEMA credited for coordination

Mike Spagnola of SEMA referred to it as a bipartisan achievement that was possible only due to the state’s automotive industry. Senator Dave Cortese stated that classic cars could contribute to achieving air quality objectives owing to their infrequent use on a day-to-day basis; these cars are generally utilized for parades and charity drives.

10. California’s Car Culture and Economic Stakes

California has always been a global epicenter for the car culture and automobile innovations. The classic automobiles are an integral part of the California culture, from Big Sur and Malibu to the streets of Los Angeles. The economic impact of the specialty automotive industry shows the significance of the car culture in California.

Automotive Industry Impact:

• Over 1,500 SEMA members in-state
• Nearly 150,000 California jobs
• Over $40 billion economic impact
• $13 billion in wages, benefits
• $6 billion in state tax revenue

Currently, there are more than 7,000 member companies in SEMA, and among them, more than 1,500 are in California. The specialty automotive aftermarket industry provides nearly 150,000 jobs in California while creating more than $40 billion worth of economic impact annually, $13 billion in salaries and benefits, and $6 billion in state tax revenues. Overall in the United States, the industry creates nearly $337 billion economic impact and supports 1.3 million jobs. Thus, passing of Leno’s Law is very important not only for collector car hobby but for the economy as well, and if signed by Governor Newsom, this law will be the biggest step in the smog check reforms in over 20 years.