Stop Illinois HB 422--Don't let California politicians tell Illinoisans what to drive

California is a garden of Eden, a paradise to live in or see;
But believe it or not, you won't find it so hot
If you ain't got the do re mi
Woody Guthrie, "Do Re Mi,", 1937.

California was a costly place to live back in Woody Guthrie's day, but because of its high taxes and burdensome regulations, it takes a lot more "do re mi" to live there now.

Let's focus on those regulations. California has toughest vehicle emissions standards in the nation. Golden State elected officials put these rules in place--which among other things limits the types of vehicles that can be purchased there. Southern Californians in particular endure very long commute times, and that part of the state is semi-arid. Illinois has a moist temperate climate. It rains more here, and rain helps clean the air.

What does Illinois have to do with this? Well, Illinois House Bill 422 will stick the Land of Lincoln with the California Low Emission Vehicle Program.

If California changes their emissions standards, HB 422 stipulates that Illinois must follow.

You got that? California politicians will dictate to Illinois the fuel standards of our cars and trucks. This could mean that certain vehicles, especially trucks and farm implements, won't be available to Illinoisans.

Limited choice invariably means higher prices. Not just for soccer moms, but also for businesses large and small (Oh, there's a recession going on), and farmers.

Oh, I'm not opposed to clean air. Today's new cars are over 90 percent cleaner than their 1970 counterparts. Two years ago, Congress enacted Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. That legislation requires a minimum 40 percent increase in fuel economy standards by 2020. Which will mean at least a 30 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

HB 422 is parked in the Illinois House Rules Committee. Hopefully it will run out of gas there and get towed to Sacramento.

By the way, Illinois must have the laziest state legislators in the nation. Why do our men and women in Springfield have to use cut-and-paste when writing laws?

UPDATE April 11: Click here to customize a letter opposing HB 422 that you can send to your Illinois state representative.

Related posts:

Illinois could surrender its sovereignty to California

What's the Matter with California?

Technorati tags: pollution environment Illinois green automobiles cars politics Illinois Politics California