Jay Leno has one of the biggest and most diverse collections of classic cars, but he lives in a state that makes it hard for owners of younger classics, specifically those from the 1976 model year onward. A revised bill bearing his name sets out to change all that, and it’s now very close to becoming law.
As of August 31, California Senate Bill 1392, more widely known as Leno’s Law, has passed both chambers of the state legislature and now only needs to be signed by Governor Gavin Newsom.
The Bill Needed Some Work First
The Ford Shogun was born after two Ford engineers decided to create their own, mid-engined Renault R5 Turbo. Jay Leno’s Garage
Despite carrying his name, Jay Leno didn’t actually come up with the legislation. It was introduced by Senators Shannon Grove and Dave Cortese, with Leno lending his support to the effort. It aims to upend the current rules, which stipulate that only vehicles built up to and including the 1975 model year are exempt from California’s strict smog checks. It means that all those awesome classics from the later part of the 1970s and the ’80s still need to be tested, which has already forced many owners to sell their pride and joy out of state. Leno’s Law would seek to rectify this by introducing a rolling exemption for qualifying cars aged 35 years or older.
An original version, Senate Bill 712, primarily focused on the age of the vehicle, but it was knocked back last year during oversight due to concerns the bill would keep too many older vehicles on the state’s roads. The revised bill has taken a narrower approach in an effort to win over lawmakers who opposed the original bill. Instead of broadly exempting 35-year-old cars, it limits the exemption to qualifying collector vehicles and phases it in, starting with vehicles built before the 1981 model year and eventually extending to those built before 1986 and potentially further out.
Why The Bill Is Still Not A Cure-All
Car Dual Exhaust Blowing SmokeKhunkorn Laowisit via Pexels
The big sticking factor with the revised bill is that owners must also show that their cars aren’t their primary mode of transportation, with the bill allowing qualification through collector-car insurance or a system showing the vehicle is driven fewer than 1,000 miles per year. It is aimed primarily at owners who attend shows or parades, or use their vehicles for special events like weddings. Those guardrails are designed to prevent any loopholes and ensure emissions don’t get out of control.
The bill is now on Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk, where he has until September 30, 2026, to sign or veto it.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters
Even in this limited form, Leno’s Law offers welcome relief to many California collector-car owners and enthusiasts. And because plenty already carry collector insurance with built-in low-mileage caps and usage restrictions, the qualification hurdles should feel familiar rather than burdensome.
The final step in this two-year saga, whether a green light or red, will be known in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.
Source: California Legislature
