HB 1502 — An Act amending Titles 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) and 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in other required equipment, further providing for exhaust systems, mufflers and noise control; in inspection of vehicles, further providing for suspension of certificates of appointment; in snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles, further providing for mufflers and sound control; imposing penalties; and making editorial changes.

PRINTER'S NO.   1757

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                            HOUSE BILL
                            No. 1502
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY SOLOMON, GALLAGHER, HILL-EVANS, BRENNAN,
        DOUGHERTY, T. DAVIS AND SANCHEZ, MAY 27, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, MAY 28, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Amending Titles 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) and 75
 2      (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in
 3      other required equipment, further providing for exhaust
 4      systems, mufflers and noise control; in inspection of
 5      vehicles, further providing for suspension of certificates of
 6      appointment; in snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles, further
 7      providing for mufflers and sound control; imposing penalties;
 8      and making editorial changes.
 9      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
10   hereby enacts as follows:
11      Section 1.     Section 933(a)(1)(ii) of Title 42 of the
12   Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
13   § 933.   Appeals from government agencies.
14      (a)   General rule.--Except as otherwise prescribed by any
15   general rule adopted pursuant to section 503 (relating to
16   reassignment of matters), each court of common pleas shall have
17   jurisdiction of appeals from final orders of government agencies
18   in the following cases:
19            (1)   Appeals from Commonwealth agencies in the following
20      cases:
21                  * * *
 1              (ii)    Determinations of the Department of
 2          Transportation appealable under the following provisions
 3          of Title 75 (relating to vehicles):
 4                     Section 1377 (relating to judicial review).
 5                     Section 1550 (relating to judicial review).
 6                     Section 4724(b) (relating to [judicial review)]
 7              revocation, suspension, denial or nonrenewal of
 8              certificates of appointment).
 9                     Section 7303(b) (relating to [judicial review)]
10              suspension of authorization).
11                     Section 7503(b) (relating to judicial review).
12          Except as otherwise prescribed by general rules, the
13          venue shall be in the county of the principal place of
14          business of any salvor or messenger service, the location
15          of any inspection station involved, the county where the
16          arrest for a violation of 75 Pa.C.S. § 3802 (relating to
17          driving under influence of alcohol or controlled
18          substance) was made in appeals involving the suspension
19          of operating privileges under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1547 (relating
20          to chemical testing to determine amount of alcohol or
21          controlled substance) or the residence of any individual
22          appellant where the venue is not otherwise fixed by this
23          sentence. In the case of a nonresident individual venue,
24          except as otherwise prescribed by general rules, shall be
25          in the county in which the offense giving rise to the
26          recall, cancellation, suspension or revocation of
27          operating privileges occurred.
28              * * *
29      Section 2.   Section 4523 of Title 75 is amended by adding
30   subsections to read:

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 1   § 4523.    Exhaust systems, mufflers and noise control.
 2      * * *
 3      (f)    Unauthorized sale, installation or operation of modified
 4   mufflers and related equipment prohibited.--
 5             (1)   A person may not sell, offer for sale, install,
 6      equip or operate:
 7                   (i)    The muffler or exhaust system of a motor vehicle
 8             with a cut-out, bypass or a similar device that amplifies
 9             or increases the noise emitted by the motor or exhaust
10             system originally installed on the vehicle.
11                   (ii)    A motorcycle exhaust device without internal
12             baffles, known as straight pipes.
13                   (iii)    A motorcycle exhaust device that is
14             intentionally designed to allow for the internal baffling
15             to be fully or partially removed or interchangeable or
16             that has been modified in a manner that amplifies or
17             increases the noise emitted by the motor or exhaust
18             system originally installed on the motorcycle. This
19             subparagraph shall not apply to a motorcycle manufactured
20             or assembled before January 1, 1979, any competition
21             motorcycle as defined in 40 CFR 205.151 (relating to
22             definitions) or exempted under 40 CFR 1068.235 (relating
23             to exempting nonroad engines/equipment used solely for
24             competition) or any aftermarket exhaust system or muffler
25             that is compliant with Federal requirements or 75 Pa.C.S.
26             § 7743 (relating to mufflers and sound control).
27             (2)   A motor vehicle that is operated or equipped with an
28      exhaust system or muffler in violation of this section shall
29      fail a safety inspection at a licensed Official Inspection
30      Station.

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 1             (3)   A person violating the provisions of this subsection
 2      commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be
 3      sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 or to undergo
 4      imprisonment for not more than 30 days.
 5      (g)    Enforcement and training.--The department, in
 6   consultation with the Pennsylvania State Police and relevant
 7   State agencies, shall develop and implement training materials
 8   and procedures for law enforcement officers and licensed safety
 9   inspection personnel to identify noncompliant exhaust systems.
10   The procedures may include visual inspection standards,
11   reference recordings of factory exhaust systems and the use of
12   approved mobile sound meter applications.
13      (h)    Noncompliant systems installed outside this
14   Commonwealth.--It shall be unlawful to operate or equip a motor
15   vehicle in this Commonwealth with an exhaust system or muffler
16   that violates this section, regardless of whether the system was
17   installed within or outside this Commonwealth or prior to the
18   current owner's acquisition of the vehicle.
19      (i)    Audibility standard.--A motor vehicle shall be deemed to
20   be in violation of subsection (a) if the exhaust system emits
21   sound clearly audible at a distance of 200 feet or more under
22   normal road conditions. The department shall establish specific
23   procedures and criteria for enforcement of this subsection by
24   regulation.
25      Section 3.      Section 4724 heading, (a) and (b) of Title 75 are
26   amended to read:
27   § 4724.    [Suspension] Revocation, suspension, denial or
28                   nonrenewal of certificates of appointment.
29      (a)    General rule.--
30             (1)   The department shall supervise and inspect official

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 1    inspection stations and may revoke, suspend or refuse to
 2    renew the certificate of appointment issued to a station or
 3    may impose a monetary penalty or may issue a warning against
 4    the station which it finds is not properly equipped or
 5    conducted or which has violated or failed to comply with any
 6    of the provisions of this chapter or regulations adopted by
 7    the department.
 8        (2)   The department shall revoke, suspend or refuse to
 9    renew the certificate of appointment for an inspection
10    station upon a third or subsequent violation, within a period
11    of 18 months, of a regulation requiring the inspection
12    station to inspect the muffler or exhaust system of a motor
13    vehicle for the purpose of compliance with section 4523
14    (relating to exhaust systems, mufflers and noise control).
15    The department shall attribute a violation of section 4523 by
16    an employee of an inspection station, garage or repair shop
17    to the station, garage or repair shop. A fine paid under
18    section 4523 shall be in addition to, but not in lieu of, a
19    monetary penalty, revocation, suspension or nonrenewal of a
20    certificate of appointment imposed under this chapter.
21        (3)   A schedule of all penalties, points and suspension
22    may be established by the department by publishing a notice
23    in the Pennsylvania Bulletin until the regulations governing
24    these penalties are promulgated by the department. The
25    department shall maintain a list of all stations holding
26    certificates of appointment and of those whose certificates
27    of appointment have been revoked, suspended or not renewed.
28    Any revoked, suspended or not renewed certificate of
29    appointment and all unused certificates of inspection shall
30    be returned immediately to the department.

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 1      (b)    Judicial review.--Any person whose mechanic certificate
 2   issued under section 4726 (relating to certification of
 3   mechanics) or certificate of appointment has been denied [or],
 4   revoked, suspended or not renewed or who has received a monetary
 5   penalty under this chapter shall have the right to appeal to the
 6   court vested with jurisdiction of such appeals by or pursuant to
 7   Title 42 (relating to judiciary and judicial procedure). The
 8   court shall set the matter for hearing upon 60 days' written
 9   notice to the department and take testimony and examine into the
10   facts of the case and determine whether the petitioner is
11   entitled to a mechanic certificate or certificate of appointment
12   or is subject to revocation, suspension or nonrenewal or a
13   monetary penalty under the provisions of this chapter.
14      * * *
15      Section 4.    Section 7743 of Title 75 is amended by adding a
16   subsection to read:
17   § 7743.    Mufflers and sound control.
18      * * *
19      (d)    Penalties.--A person who violates this section commits a
20   summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay
21   a fine of not more than $1,000 or to be imprisoned for not more
22   than 30 days, or both.
23      Section 5.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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