Issues
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that it plans to change the job creation or sustaining requirements to qualify for a loan under the SBA’s 504 Loan Program. Currently, a small business can qualify for the 504 Loan Program if, among other conditions, the project funded by the loan will result in the employer…
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) unanimously approved changes to its Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation that will delay its implementation until 2030. Under ACF, the state must ensure that electric vehicles (EV) comprise all new vehicle purchases for state-owned heavy-duty vehicle fleets. This rule was originally slated to go into effect in 2027. The…
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The United States Senate voted to confirm Jonathan Morrison as the new Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Senate included Morrison’s confirmation within a package of dozens of other presidential nominations in an effort to quicken the confirmation process. The confirmations package received 51 votes in favor and 47 votes in…
The California Legislature opted not to pass Senate Bill (SB) 615, which would have required an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer to recycle its EV batteries that are no longer in use and pay for all expenses associated with ensuring the battery’s proper end-of-life management. Governor Gavin Newsom (D) vetoed similar legislation in 2024. Under SB…
The United States Departments of Labor, Commerce, and Education published a joint report detailing the Trump Administration’s strategy and plan to address workforce shortage issues through workforce development. The plan places a heavy emphasis on the Registered Apprenticeship program. The Trump Administration aims to add one million more apprentices to the country’s workforce. The federal…
DEKRA–a Europe-based automotive testing, inspection, and certification company–released its Road Safety Report 2025, which it has titled, “Changing the Face of Mobility.” The report asserts that innovation in the automotive sector has significantly improved roadway safety. However, new technologies present new safety challenges. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles (AV) represent two such…
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued new guidance to on-road and off-road vehicle diesel-powered vehicle manufacturers that will give drivers more time to get their engines fixed. Since 2010, the EPA has required the use of diesel exhaust fluid for diesel vehicles to combat smog. When the vehicle needs to be replenished…
The Pennsylvania House’s Transportation Committee voted 26-0 to advance HB 649, which would give drivers more time to complete required repairs and inspections on vehicles deemed to be operating in an unsafe condition. Under current law, a police officer or other qualified employee of the state can determine that the condition of a vehicle makes…
In Rhode Island, insurers can no longer force drivers to accept total loss settlements for vehicles for which the repair costs don’t exceed 80 percent of the vehicle’s pre-collision value (actual cash value/ACV). In other words, the consumer can demand the insurer pay for the repair if the repair is less than 80 percent of…