| 1 | 1 | | BILL AS INTRODUCED H.48 |
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| 2 | 2 | | 2025 Page 1 of 3 |
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| 5 | 5 | | VT LEG #379535 v.1 |
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| 6 | 6 | | H.48 1 |
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| 7 | 7 | | Introduced by Representatives Graning of Jericho and Arsenault of Williston 2 |
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| 8 | 8 | | Referred to Committee on 3 |
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| 9 | 9 | | Date: 4 |
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| 10 | 10 | | Subject: Motor vehicles; exhaust; exhaust system modification; emissions 5 |
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| 11 | 11 | | Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to prohibit the 6 |
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| 12 | 12 | | installation of equipment in a motor vehicle that enhances the vehicle’s ability 7 |
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| 13 | 13 | | to emit soot or smoke and to prohibit certain motor vehicles from emitting 8 |
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| 14 | 14 | | excessive soot or smoke. 9 |
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| 15 | 15 | | An act relating to prohibiting the emission of excessive soot or smoke from 10 |
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| 16 | 16 | | certain motor vehicles 11 |
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| 17 | 17 | | It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 12 |
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| 18 | 18 | | Sec. 1. 10 V.S.A. § 567 is amended to read: 13 |
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| 19 | 19 | | § 567. MOTOR VEHICLE POLLUTION 14 |
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| 20 | 20 | | * * * 15 |
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| 21 | 21 | | (b)(1) Except as permitted or authorized by law, no person shall fail to 16 |
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| 22 | 22 | | maintain in good working order or remove, dismantle, or otherwise cause to be 17 |
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| 23 | 23 | | inoperative any equipment or feature constituting an operational element of the 18 |
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| 24 | 24 | | air pollution control system or mechanism of a motor vehicle and required by 19 |
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| 25 | 25 | | rules pursuant to this chapter to be maintained in or on the vehicle. Any failure 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.48 |
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| 29 | 29 | | VT LEG #379535 v.1 |
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| 30 | 30 | | to maintain in good working order or removal, dismantling, or causing of 1 |
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| 31 | 31 | | inoperability shall subject the owner or operator to suspension or cancellation 2 |
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| 32 | 32 | | of the registration for the vehicle by the Department of Motor Vehicles. The 3 |
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| 33 | 33 | | vehicle shall not thereafter be eligible for registration until all parts and 4 |
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| 34 | 34 | | equipment constituting operational elements of the motor vehicle have been 5 |
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| 35 | 35 | | restored, replaced, or repaired and are in good working order. 6 |
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| 36 | 36 | | (2) No person shall retrofit a motor vehicle with any device or other 7 |
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| 37 | 37 | | equipment that enhances the vehicle’s ability to emit soot, smoke, or 8 |
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| 38 | 38 | | particulates. A person who violates this subdivision shall, in addition to the 9 |
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| 39 | 39 | | penalty set forth in subdivision (1) of this subsection, be subject to a civil 10 |
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| 40 | 40 | | penalty of not more than $500.00 for a first offense, and not less than $500.00 11 |
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| 41 | 41 | | nor more than $1,000.00 for a second or subsequent offense. 12 |
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| 42 | 42 | | * * * 13 |
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| 43 | 43 | | Sec. 2. 23 V.S.A. § 1221 is amended to read: 14 |
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| 44 | 44 | | § 1221. CONDITION OF VEHICLE; EXCESSIVE EXHAUST EMISSIONS 15 |
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| 45 | 45 | | (a) A motor vehicle, operated on any highway, shall be in good mechanical 16 |
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| 46 | 46 | | condition and shall be properly equipped. 17 |
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| 47 | 47 | | (b)(1) An individual shall not: 18 |
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| 48 | 48 | | (A) operate a motor vehicle that: 19 |
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| 49 | 49 | | (i) has any device or equipment installed that enhances the 20 |
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| 50 | 50 | | vehicle’s ability to emit soot, smoke, or particulates; or 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.48 |
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| 54 | 54 | | VT LEG #379535 v.1 |
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| 55 | 55 | | (ii) has an exhaust system that has been modified to increase the 1 |
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| 56 | 56 | | amount of soot, smoke, or particulates emitted by the vehicle; or 2 |
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| 57 | 57 | | (B) purposefully release from, or cause to be released from, a motor 3 |
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| 58 | 58 | | vehicle visible quantities of soot, smoke, or particulates into the air or onto the 4 |
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| 59 | 59 | | roadway, other vehicles, or persons. 5 |
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| 60 | 60 | | (2) A person who violates this subsection shall be subject to a civil 6 |
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| 61 | 61 | | penalty of not more than $500.00 for a first offense, and not less than $500.00 7 |
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| 62 | 62 | | nor more than $1,000.00 for a second or subsequent offense. 8 |
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| 63 | 63 | | Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 9 |
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| 64 | 64 | | This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 10 |
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