The California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR), within the state’s department of Consumer Affairs, has proposed changes to its Smog Check Program. The BAR wants to update the regulations involved in the Smog Check Program to speed up the retirement of older, high-polluting vehicles. The program was designed to reduce emissions by requiring vehicles to meet certain standards. Owners of vehicles not meeting these standards can retire their vehicles for monetary compensation.

Currently, the regulations involve retiring vehicles for failing biennial smog checks. Among the new regulations is a plan to incorporate off-cycle vehicles into the program. As a result of these new monetary incentives, it is believed that 11,500 additional older vehicles could be removed from the road annually.

The Automotive Service Association encourages independent repairers to visit its legislative website, www.TakingTheHill.com, to view the BAR’s proposed regulation.

The Automotive Service Association is the largest not-for-profit trade association of its kind dedicated to and governed by independent automotive service and repair professionals. ASA serves an international membership base that includes numerous affiliate, state and chapter groups from both the mechanical and collision repair segments of the automotive service industry. ASA’s headquarters is in Bedford, TX.

ASA advances professionalism and excellence in the automotive repair industry through education, representation and member services. For additional information about ASA, including past news releases, go to www.ASAshop.org, or visit ASA’s legislative website at www.TakingTheHill.com.