'Jay Leno's Law' Among New CA Measures Supporting Car Culture

BURBANK, CA — Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation Wednesday that will ease smog-check requirements for some classic cars and establish a specialty license plate honoring California's lowrider culture.

Newsom signed Senate Bill 1392, known as "Jay Leno's Law," during a visit to Jay Leno's garage in Burbank, which is famously full of the comedian's classic cars. The measure creates a phased-in smog-check exemption for qualifying collector vehicles from the 1976 through 1985 model years.

To qualify, vehicles must meet the state's definition of a collector vehicle and either be insured as a collector car or meet low-mileage requirements established under the law. The measure is intended for vehicles used primarily for shows, parades, exhibitions and preservation rather than everyday transportation.

The exemption will begin Jan. 1, 2028, for qualifying collector vehicles manufactured before the 1981 model year, then expand by one model year annually until vehicles manufactured before the 1986 model year are covered in 2033.

The legislation was jointly authored by state Sens. Dave Cortese, D-San Jose, and Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, and was backed by Leno, a longtime classic-car collector.

"The car community has been waiting on this for a long time," Leno said in a statement released by Newsom's office.

Newsom also signed Assembly Bill 2541 by Assemblymember Mark González, D-Los Angeles, establishing a specialized license plate honoring California's lowrider heritage. The program is intended to support lowrider arts, cultural preservation, youth programs, exhibitions and other educational and community initiatives.

The lowrider measure follows a 2023 law signed by Newsom that removed state restrictions on lowrider cruising and lowered vehicles.

"Lowriding is more than a car; it is cultura, it is art, it's family," González said in a statement Wednesday.

Newsom also signed Senate Bill 1069, which is intended to speed up the state's review process for manufacturers seeking approval to sell aftermarket vehicle parts.