Bills Of Interest
HOUSE BIILLS
HB 234
All-terrain vehicles and off-road motorcycles; seizure, impounding, and disposition.
Authorizes the governing body of any city to provide by ordinance for the lawful seizure, impounding, and disposition of an illegally operated all-terrain vehicle or off-road motorcycle operated on a highway or sidewalk within such city.
VCOM generally does not get involved in issues involving off-road vehicles. We will continue to watch this bill to ensure that no language is added that would affect on-road motorcycles. You can track the progress of this bill and read the bill in its entirety using the following link:
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb234&submit=GO
HB 883
Vehicle exhaust systems; operation in certain locations.
Expands the locations for which operation of a motor vehicle, moped, or motorized skateboard or foot-scooter that does not comply with requirements for mufflers and a vehicle that does not comply with the requirements for exhaust systems is prohibited to include any driveway or premises of a church, school, recreational facility, or business; any governmental property open to the public; any industrial establishment providing parking space for customers, patrons, or employees; and any highway under construction or not yet open to the public.
The Bill does not change current exhaust laws. It only expands where police may enforce. This has no affect on street bikes as we already have to comply with current exhaust laws. VCOM will continue to watch the bill to ensure that it is not amended to include a decibel level.
You can track the progress of this bill and read the bill in its entirety using the following link:
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb883&submit=GO
HB 884
Vehicle exhaust systems; inspection and administrative fee.
Prohibits passenger vehicle exhaust systems from emitting noise in excess of 95 decibels in Planning District 8 on any highway; driveway or premises of a church, school, recreational facility, or business; any governmental property open to the public; any industrial establishment providing parking space for customers, patrons, or employees; and any highway under construction or not yet open to the public.
The bill allows, in Planning District 8 (Northern Virginia), a law-enforcement officer to stop a passenger vehicle he determines is emitting exhaust system noise in excess of such limit and issue a notice of an administrative fee of $250 to be assessed at the time of the vehicle’s next registration renewal and establishes a process for inspecting such vehicle.
The bill has a contingent effective date of January 1, 2025, provided that the Department of Motor Vehicles has received the necessary funding to supply the necessary equipment for such vehicle exhaust system inspections to inspection stations. The bill sunsets on July 1, 2027.
VCOM takes no position as this bill does not apply to motorcycles. We have met with Delegate Watts who introduced the bill, and she has agreed to amend to make clear that the bill does not apply to motorcycles.
You can track the progress of this bill and read the bill in its entirety using the following link:
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb884&submit=GO
HB 1257
Insurance; coverage for the diminished value of personal property.
Requires insurance policies covering damage to personal property to provide coverage for the diminution in the value of such personal property. Under the bill, the diminution in value of the personal property is the amount, if any, by which the market value of the personal property immediately following the completion of repair of the damage to the personal property is less than the market value of the personal property immediately prior to the damage.
VCOM supports this bill. You can track the progress of this bill and read the bill in its entirety using the following link:
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb1257&submit=GO
HB 1411
Motor vehicle sales and use tax; definition of sale price.
Excludes from the sale price for determining motor vehicle sales and use tax the amount of any credit given by the seller for any motor vehicle taken as a trade-in.
VCOM supports this bill so long as it will also apply to the purchase of a motorcycle. You can track the progress of this bill and read the bill in its entirety using the following link:
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb1411&submit=GO
SENATE BILLS
SB 65
Issuing citations; vehicle equipment.
Removes the provisions that provide that no law-enforcement officer may lawfully stop a motor vehicle for operating with defective and unsafe equipment and removes the accompanying exclusionary provisions.
VCOM supports this bill. You can track the progress of this bill and read the bill in its entirety using the following link:
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=sb65&submit=GO
SB 226
Department of Motor Vehicles; highway use fee; tiered flat rate system; work group; report.
Directs the Department of Motor Vehicles to convene a work group to determine the feasibility of implementing a tiered flat rate system to accurately determine the correct amount of highway use fee to be charged at the point of sale of a motor vehicle. The bill directs the work group to complete its work and report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the Senate and House Committees on Transportation no later than November 15, 2024.
VCOM is seeking to be included in the work group. Currently motorcycles are not subject to a highway use fee. VCOM wants to ensure that that does not change. You can track the progress of this bill and read the bill in its entirety using the following link:
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=sb226&submit=GO