All,
I received the latest copy of Mopar Collector’s Guide today and read some very disturbing news for Ohio auto enthusiasts.  Back in December a bill, HB 191 (aka the “Monica Durban Law”), passed the House by a landslide and will soon be passed by the Senate if our voices are not heard.  I’m not talking about an annoying emissions law or crazy rule about historical tags.  The bill will instruct police officers to SEIZE your vehicle and take away your license for a year if they see rapid acceleration, fast driving, burning tires, or street racing.  They won’t impound it.  They will TAKE it and sell it at a state auction!  Not only that, but it loosely defines the term “street racing” to include just about anything.  Revving your engine at a stop light can be considered taunting or promoting a street race.  Again, it is up to the police officer’s discretion.  If you have a car that could be seen as “souped up”, you’ll be targeted.  If you are just watching someone displaying any form of “street racing”, you are equally guilty because you are promoting illegal activity!

A couple years ago a young lady was put in a 6-month coma when a drunk driver was racing a friend on an on-ramp to I-70.  The drunk driver was killed.  Instead of focusing on the fact that the kid was drunk, they are deciding to “increase the penalties” to “help deter people from entering in a race” and essentially declaring war on any and all performance vehicles in our state!

Don’t take my word for it.  Read the bill yourself:
http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/analysis.cfm?ID=128_HB_191&hf=analyses128/h0191-i-128.htm

We’ve all seen or heard of bills that threaten our hobby by causing an inconvenience or extra expense, but this one hits very close to home.  You don’t have to be doing anything wrong or dangerous for a policeman to take your beloved car and charge you with a felony!

By the way, how many of you even heard of this bill???  And it’s half way to becoming a law!  I urge you to contact your state senator.  Below is a link to the state senate where you can find the senator from your area.  Each senator has contact information listed and a link to which you can send email.
http://www.ohiosenate.gov/

Here is a link with quick tips for writing an effective letter to legislators.
http://www.semasan.com/main/main.aspx?id=61703

Please pass this along to all your car buddies to prevent the state from giving law enforcement an unprecidented amount of power over us and our hobby.

In the name of horsepower!
Eric Gebert
- President, Tri-State Mopar Club in Cincinnati

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