The classic car community gets another shot at the emissions exemption legislation that's become known as "Leno's Law." California Senate Bill 1392, introduced to the state legislature on February 20, 2026, revives the effort after the original California Senate Bill 712 was unable to become law last year.
The new bill is co-sponsored by state Senators Shannon Grove and Dave Cortese. Like its predecessor, SB 1392 seeks to establish rolling emissions testing exemptions for classic vehicles, beginning with cars from the 1981 model year. Where the earlier bill required vehicles to be registered as a collector motor vehicle, the new version adds a further restriction: to qualify, a classic car must also not serve as its owner's primary mode of daily transportation — a provision intended to make the legislation more palatable to skeptical lawmakers.
"SB 1392, Leno's Law, is a collaborative effort between Senator Cortese, Senator Grove, Jay Leno, a growing list of legislators in strong support, and SEMA. It has been refined from last year's SB 712 to maximize benefits to car enthusiasts while also ensuring the bill's ultimate success. Because of this, we are confident that the bill will pass," a spokesperson for Sen. Cortese said in a statement to our sister publication, Road & Track.
