“Tonight Show” legend Jay Leno is teaming up with a a state legislator representing Fresno to make life easier for car enthusiasts.

State Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield — whose district includes north Fresno and Clovis — wants the state to exempt classic cars from biennial smog checks. That means designated collector cars older than 35 years qualify.

Leno testified and led a classic car cruise around the Sacramento Capitol before the hearing on Assembly Bill 712 — dubbed “Leno’s Law” — in the Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday.

“A car from the ’30s would be almost easier (to make smog compliant) to do than the ’90s,” Leno said. “I don’t like the fact that people have to sort of become criminal if they have a car from the ’90s.”

The bill would exempt 1% of cars on the road, the bill’s supporters said.

Some groups opposed. The California Air Pollution Control Officers Association, a lobbying group that represents the Fresno-based San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and other districts, testified against the bill.

Their main argument was based on the environment and clean air.

The bill passed out of committee, 12-2, with bipartisan support. It heads next to the appropriations committee.

It is unclear if CAPCOA’s legislative advocate, Brendan Twohig, ever hosted a network late-night talk show.

Dyer Supports HSR Study Bill

Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer is supporting a bill that will create a study on the economic benefits of High Speed Rail.

Senate Bill 545, authored by Sen. Dave Cortese, D-San Jose, passed out of the transportation committee, 11-1 along party lines.

Although Dyer did not testify at the Senate Transportation Committee, he did write a letter in support, Cortese said.

“I strongly believe in two things — that Downtown Fresno is on the cusp of a major economic revival, and that if the state’s High Speed Rail project becomes a reality, that revival will be even better and stronger,” Dyer said in a Cortese news release.

Lobbyist Angie Manetti testified on Dyer’s behalf. She said Fresno has been counting on a proposed HSR station near Chinatown to revive the area.

Cortese admits private HSR has been lacking. He publicly thanked Dyer for his support, “a mayor not of my own party, who sees the excitement of what’s happening and the opportunity and then that’s what happens when you start putting things into the ground.”

The bill next goes to the local government committee.

When Will Next DA, Sheriff Election Be?

What takes precedence in determining an election date — a county charter or a state law?

At stake is whether Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp and Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni face re-election in 2026 or 2028.

The decision will come soon.

The California Attorney General’s office filed a lawsuit — a writ of mandate — to enforce Assembly Bill 759 of 2022. That bill changed the election date for most county district attorneys and sheriffs from midterm election years — the same year a governor is elected — to the same year a president is elected.

Fresno County voters approved Measure A in March 2024 with 55% support. The measure changed the county’s charter to keep the election dates in the midterm election year.

Judge D. Tyler Tharpe heard the conflict in his courtroom on Tuesday. He took the matter under advisement without making an immediate ruling.

The Legal Arguments

The state said Measure A violates state law two ways — it is not allowed by the state Constitution; and it is preempted by AB 759. The law provided some specific exemptions — mainly if the election date was already established in the county charter — before the law. That would not be the case for Fresno County.

“AB 759 still prevailed because it regulates a matter of statewide concern and is narrowly tailored to achieve those ends,” Deputy Attorney General S. Clinton Woods argued.

Tharpe asked how the law is a statewide concern, if one-third of the state population is not affected. Los Angeles County would be exempted under the law.

“A law that affects two-thirds of California absolutely is a statewide concern,” Woods answered.

The county argued that the state Constitution does allow it the leeway to set election dates.

“The situation here from the county’s perspective is, by the text of the state constitution, the county may set the terms with its officials,” Chief Deputy County Counsel Peter Wall said in court.

It could come down to how “terms” in the Constitution is defined.

Article XI, Section 4 (c) reads:

County charters shall provide for: An elected sheriff, an elected district attorney, an elected assessor, other officers, their election or appointment, compensation, terms and removal.

The county said that gives it the power to set dates, differentiating between “term” and “tenure,” the actual time served; the state said that “terms” specifically mean setting the length of time.

The default position now is a 2026 election.

“They are on my list for this coming June,” Fresno County Clerk/Registrar of Voters James Kus told host Alexan Balekian on the March 23 “Sunday Conversation” radio show on KMJ. “As of right now, our charter holds, and we will be following the charter.”