AZ Legislation

[~sparky~]

i emailed both MVD and DEQ with the message below to find out what happens next.

will let everyone know with a post if & when i get a response.

i got a rather grumpy :x response back from the person at DEQ - pasted below.

[i]"Currently Arizona Revised Statutes do NOT recognize Hybrid vehicles as an alternative fueled vehicle. The president signing the bill has nothing to do with change Statutes."

to which i replied:

"hello again, tom. thanks.

we do have a statute that gives hybrids the ability to use the hov lanes (pasted below). it mentions the federal approval specifically, and GOOD NEWS - the president signed the bill into law on saturday 7/30. hope this helps clarify.

also, my question is more about process. think is going to happen, it's just a question of the steps involved among the state departments involved, and the timing.

thanks again.

(pasted sec)"

again, i'll post if i get a response.

[HybridVigor]

PLEASE - feel free to cut & paste & modify to fit you style - and send the mvd your own letter - i think the more they get, the more responsible they will be!

I think thats a great fax, courteous and to the point, and I think I may send something very similar tomorrow. Thanks for the basic template. Do you feel that a fax would get through better than a letter or email based on your phone convers?

Unfortunately, it sounds like they didn't realize that people might actually be interested and motivated to act on a change like this, and certainly didn't have a contingency plan in place. Best thing to do is probably to be as friendly and upbeat as possible, while stating the case firmly. I know enough people who work for the state, and to many I'm sure this simply isn't a matter of high concern to them. Maybe starting at the top is the right move...

--Chris

[HybridVigor]

Oh and by the way, thanks for doing the legwork on this so far! Its not easy fighting a bureaucracy dragging its heels and I just wanted to let you know that I, for one, appreciate your efforts, Sparky. Good on you!

[HTMLSpinnr]

Semi on-topic, last week, I stopped an Aqua classic Prius parked in a Handicapped spot with AFV plates at Fry's Electronics in Tempe. Either he got lucky early on, or he's managed to find a way through the mess.

[HybridVigor]

OK. I modified the fax that you sent along the the MVD director (it remains 90% the same) and faxed it off to her along with copies of the AZ laws. Hopefully I'll hear back in a positive way and we'll be off and running!

Chris

[HybridVigor]

I'm confused. I thought that Bush had already signed the Transportation Bill. Now I'm reading news articles saying that he will soon sign it? Were the posts on PriusChat just jumping the gun by a week, the president having not technically signed? Or perhaps are we talking the difference between some sort of legal vs formal/public signing session? Have I been pestering the MVD before the federal bill has even been approved into law?

[spamalicious]

I went to the MVD this morning for my vanity plate renewal, and asked about AFV stickers/plates. The rep said I had to talk to the dealer about that. I figured it was best to let it go and come back a different time...
Sara

[chris_wass]

spamalicious, the MVD told you to go to the dealer? That is the DUMBEST thing I have heard in a while. It's not like you just bought the car, you were getting a renewal! That is rediculous. These people don't know their heads from their @sses. If they don't know, they just pawn you off on someone else, no one seems willing to find out anything. That stinks!

[spamalicious]

Indeed. I was tempted to ask for the woman to kindly point out the section of the legislation that states "ye shall get yer butt to the dealer for AFV sticker/plate", but I'm way too nice.
Sara

[HybridVigor]

Well, I take it from the traffic on the California HOV-lane/AFV topics that Bush signed the Transportation bill yesterday. I wonder whether Arizona will be as quick to act as California has. Cali apparently already has AFV sticker applications available at the DMV website. Lets ramp this thing back up again!