Those who follow politics know that by February, state legislatures across the United States are fully underway. This is an especially important topic for SEMA members who frequently want to know what our association is doing to effectively engage government leaders and bring about positive outcomes for our industry. Seeing an increase in legislative and regulatory overreach, many are concerned about the automotive specialty-equipment industry’s future.

SEMA members will be pleased to know that their association is forcefully addressing these issue and launching new programs to level the playing field and protect and advance this industry’s interests. You’ll read about one example, SEMA’s new SuperPAC, on p. 66, which effectively ran independent expenditure campaigns supporting several state legislative candidates who favor the repeal of Virginia’s recent internal-combustion engine (ICE) ban.

We believe our industry’s best defense is a strong offense, and with the SuperPAC we’ll play a bigger role in elections than we ever have, bringing the American consumer (and voter) along with us. We will not shy away from forging a political landscape favorable to our businesses. This year you’ll see us combating ICE bans at the state level across the nation. We recently joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and trucking organizations in an amicus brief supporting the trucking industry’s challenge to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of California’s zero emissions mandate for medium- and heavy-duty trucks—a critical industry to keep our supply chains functioning.

And that’s just the beginning. For 20 years the environmental lobby has been slowly chipping away at issues affecting our industry, including land use. A recent Bureau of Land Management ruling effectively deprived off-road enthusiasts access to more than 300 miles of trails in Moab, Utah. This ruling denies the good our industry does, from trail maintenance and cleanups to great programs led by organizations like Tread Lightly! As part of our partnership with the Off Road Business Association, we have officially challenged this ruling. Increasingly we’re tackling such issues at the state and federal levels, legislatively and in the courts.

But even as we aggressively pursue favorable legislation and court decisions, we intend to foster good relationships with open-minded government officials. Positively effecting change means winning allies, which often involves education. Many are unaware of the good we do for consumers and our role in automotive innovation. For example, many of the safety systems we take for granted in cars today originated in racing, and aftermarket invention continues to make huge strides toward cleaner performance.

That’s also why we’re building bridges with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Air Resources Board and other regulators to create more certainty for our companies where we can. Additionally, we’re stepping up our educational outreach to legislators from state to state and in Washington, D.C. Too frequently, they only hear from one side on these important issues, namely those who don’t have our best interests in mind; we will correct that. In the end, relationships matter, and we will secure them through education, communication and assertive advocacy.