Old Clunkers, Dirty Air, and Jay Leno’s Legislative Tune-Up

SB 712 is authored by State Senator Shannon Grove (R–Bakersfield), seen here hobnobbing with Jay Leno, owner of several older cars, who is pushing hard for the bill’s passage.

May 27, 2025

By Brian Hews

Here’s a fun fact for your lungs: those classic American cars that some folks lovingly refer to as “vintage” or “collectibles” are also mobile pollution machines. 

That ‘68 Mustang belching nostalgia down the freeway? It’s also belching hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide like it’s still Woodstock.

In case the smog wasn’t thick enough, comedian and car collector Jay Leno is now stepping into the policy driver’s seat, backing a bill that would “ease restrictions” on these emissions dinosaurs — you know, because California’s air is just too clean these days.

The bill in question, SB 712, authored by State Senator Shannon Grove (R–Bakersfield), is being promoted as a boost for the state’s car restoration hobbyists. 

It would exempt cars 35 years or older from smog checks if they’re insured as “collector vehicles” and driven fewer than 5,000 miles per year. Leno testified in support of the bill, grinning through what sounded suspiciously like a carbon monoxide high.

And who’s in charge of checking the 5,000-mile maxim?

The idea of the bill is to “protect car culture,” but let’s be honest — it’s a smokescreen. Literally.

According to the EPA, cars built before 1990 make up less than 5% of vehicle miles driven but can contribute up to 25% of pollution from passenger vehicles. They were born before catalytic converters had any real bite, before computers managed fuel injection, and definitely before anyone gave a damn about carbon footprints.

And unlike your neighbor’s Prius or that soulless EV down the street, these old-school road warriors leak oil, run rich, and puff more smoke than a Vegas casino.

To be fair, enthusiasts say these cars are rarely driven. But that’s like saying cigarettes are fine as long as you only light up on weekends.

Meanwhile, California continues to battle ozone levels and respiratory illnesses that disproportionately hit working-class communities. But hey, Jay Leno wants to take his 1972 Buick out for a spin without state oversight, so let’s all just hold our breath — indefinitely.

Ironically, Leno, who famously burned his face in a garage accident not long ago, now wants to burn a hole in environmental protections. Because what’s a little smog between friends when you’ve got chrome fenders and an AM radio?

Look, no one’s saying you can’t enjoy classic cars. Park them, polish them, pose next to them. But firing them up without modern emissions controls while the rest of us are gasping for clean air? That’s not retro — it’s reckless.

Asm. Grove says the “bill is bipartisan,” but only one author is a Democrat. The bill is supported by State Senators Marie Alvarado-Gil (R), Steven Choi (R), Dave Cortese (D), Megan Dahle (R), Brian Jones (R), Roger Niello (R), Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R), Kelly Seyarto (R), Tony Strickland (R), and Suzette Martinez Valladares (R); and by Assembly Members Juan Alanis (R), Leticia Castillo (R), Laurie Davies (R), James Gallagher (R), Jeff Gonzalez (R), and Jim Patterson (R).