◄ Back to Driving Force, Fall 2015
With More Than 700 members, State Legislative Caucus Continues to Thrive
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| Former Montana Senator John Brueggeman addresses a crowd at the SEMA Show. | |
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In its daily efforts to promote and protect the auto hobby, the SEMA Action Network (SAN) continues to partner with state lawmakers from across the country through the State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Caucus. Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the Caucus is a bipartisan group of state lawmakers whose common thread is a love and appreciation for automobiles.
Supported by SEMA’s Government Affairs office in Washington, D.C., the Caucus has been instrumental in raising the motor vehicle hobby’s profile in the state legislatures and in the eyes of the public. Working in state capitals, these legislators are frequently called upon to oppose overly restrictive legislation that seeks to prohibit vehicle modification and proactively protect the hobby by improving existing motor vehicle statutes and creating new programs to safeguard and expand it.
Among other things, State Caucus members have been responsible for legislation to provide titling and registration for custom cars and street rods, remove the tax burden on collector car owners, implement an objective exhaust-noise testing program, create emissions exemptions, allow single rear license plates and abolish ethanol requirements in gasoline.
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| Former New York Assemblyman Bill Reilich with his classic ’57 Chevy Bel Air. | |
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“We are the people that write and pass laws for our individual states,” said West Virginia Delegate Gary Howell, the current Caucus chairman. “As many of the laws that govern how we title, register, inspect and equip our vehicles are handled at the state level, these state legislatures wield a lot of power over the hobby. That includes modifications you can do to your car or truck. Fortunately, there are a lot of state legislators that are fans of cars themselves, many of whom are members of the State Caucus. We want to protect your right to work on and modify your ride.”
As a lifelong enthusiast and owner of Howell Automotive in Keyser, West Virginia, Howell joined the Caucus in 2011 upon his election to the West Virginia House of Delegates. He has worked extensively in the motorsports industry, raced both stock cars and drag cars, built winning race cars and award-winning show cars and designed racing parts. Among other vehicles, the MOPAR fan counts several of the brand’s offerings in his garage, including a Jeep Cherokee XJ and Dodge SRT-4.
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| Delegate Gary Howell at the West Virginia state capitol in Charleston. | |
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Howell was preceded as Caucus chairman by former New York Assemblyman Bill Reilich, who took the reins in 2007. “Being a member of the State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Caucus and then serving as its chairman was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I enjoyed fighting alongside fellow legislators from throughout the county to preserve the rights of auto enthusiasts. I believe it is critical that we work together to protect this important piece of our American History.”
Reilich, who now serves as the Town Supervisor of Greece, New York, immediately demonstrated his willingness to get involved in keeping automotive-related laws fair and hobby-friendly after joining the Caucus in 2006. Reilich’s quick response helped delay action on a bill that threatened to ban brush and grille guards on all motor vehicles that use New York’s public roadways. “My love of automobiles goes way back to my early days of my pedal car,” Reilich remembers. His own collection has included a ’57 Chevy Bel Air, an ’81 Ford T-Bird and a late-model Ford Mustang.
Upon the Caucus’ formation in 2005, former Montana Senator John Brueggeman was chosen to lead the new group. “Being named Caucus chairman was among the greatest honors of my legislative service,” recalls Brueggeman. “There’s no organization I’d rather be involved with. It’s been very close to my heart. It was rewarding to work with the SAN to help recruit legislators from across the United States and organize them into a political juggernaut for the rights of enthusiasts. Unchecked, creeping regulation will take us off America’s roads. The bottom line is there are people who don’t understand us, may not like us, and wouldn’t miss us if we were gone. Building a vigilant core of legislators who have a passion and understanding for our way of life is critical to preserving our rights in a changing world.”
Brueggeman has been interested in everything mechanical since childhood. He worked for a CNC machine shop while studying engineering in college, which gave him a great understanding of manufacturing. The experience boosted his CAD/CAM skills, and later, he became a certified TIG welder. While he’s owned several collector vehicles of various styles, including custom motorcycles, the ’65 GTO and the ’65 Shelby Cobra are among his favorite cars. “Whether cars or bikes, it all boils down to the fact that I still get goose bumps every time I see machined metal or a perfect weld,” Brueggeman says.
“These three leaders are not alone. By joining the Caucus, lawmakers from all around the country have demonstrated their commitment to upholding the rights of vehicle enthusiasts,” said SEMA Vice President of Government Affairs Steve McDonald. “In addition, hobbyists are able to quickly identify which state legislators have chosen to be recognized for their support of this great American hobby. We are extremely proud that the Caucus has continued to grow in numbers and influence in each of its 10 years in existence. We look forward to more years of success under Delegate Howell’s leadership.”
“As chairman, I’m very proud to have contributed to the growth and continued relevancy of the Caucus,” adds Howell. “Many of my fellow state legislators in West Virginia have recently stepped up and joined. The more we can make lawmakers aware of this family hobby and the number of their constituents that are actively involved, the better. By working in conjunction with the SAN, the Caucus acts as a political oil pressure gauge. Without this group, and the legislative alerts it delivers, it would be too late to have an impact on a given bill.”
Approximately 700 state legislators from all 50 states are involved in the Caucus. For a full listing of Caucus members, visit www.semaSAN.com/StateCaucus.