Hawaii Introduces Bill to Protect Hobbyists from Unfair Exhaust Noise Citations


 

DON’T DELAY!  Please contact the Energy & Environmental Protection and the Transportation Committees to request their support for H.B. 2069:

You may use the following points in your message:

  •  H.B. 2069 supplies inspectors with an enforcement standard, replacing a system that relies on subjective judgments on whether an exhaust system amplifies the noise emitted by the motor vehicle. 
     
  • H.B. 2069 recognizes that the best way to address this issue is by establishing a fair and reasonable exhaust noise decibel limit.
     
  • H.B. 2069 recognizes the fact that aftermarket exhaust systems are designed to make vehicles run more efficiently without increasing emissions.
     
  • H.B. 2069 recognizes that aftermarket exhaust systems offer increased performance, which can make a vehicle safer by improving its ability to merge, pass, travel uphill, etc.
     
  • H.B. 2069 makes it easier for hobbyists to replace factory exhaust systems with more durable, better performing options.
     

 

Overview: A bill (H.B. 2069) adopts the SEMA-supported position that would allow the use, sale, alteration, or installation of car mufflers that meet a 95-decibel noise limit. Under the current law, no person can sell, alter, or install a muffler which will noticeably increase a vehicle’s noise. This bill provides an opportunity for vehicle hobbyists to install and use aftermarket modified exhaust systems that meet an objective decibel limit under a fair and predictable test.