If you live in PA, read this!

[Guest SSC]

I got a form letter from the house of representatives, asking for input on what they should address this session...

here is the link:

http://www.pahouse.com/surveys2007/LeaderMessage.asp

If you live in PA (and ONLY IF YOU REALLY LIVE IN PA), please fill in this form. They're gearing up to really knock us pro tinters flat. There have been two pieces of legislation regarding tint discussed recently.

sample letter:

It has come to my attention that certain representatives seek to resolve a growing problem of excessive window tinting by introducing legislation that will restrict all tinting darker than 70% NET light transmittance.

Much of the excessive window tinting that you see on the roads today is consumer-installed, I.e. not professional work. Unfortunately, because of the oddity of the current legislation, there are relatively few professionals installing window film in PA, which may explain how often you see excessive tinting. Almost none of the products available directly to consumers provide a moderate level or safe level of tinting, nor is there a professional representative available to help them make a decision on what will meet their needs. As a result, they often choose the darkest film available.

I agree excessive tinting is unnecessary and unsafe to motorists and Law Enforcement Officers. I do not condone excessive window tinting. Please realise there is a happy medium between the current vehicle code and a safe level of tinting. A moderate level of window tinting provides many benefits to Pennsylvanians of all ages, including blocking heat, glare & Ultraviolet rays, as well as containing broken glass shards in the event of an accident.

A film that results in a 35% NET light transmittance installed on windows adjacent to and behind the driver and front passenger occupants allows no discernable reduced visibility for the driver under any light conditions, and also provides visibility of the occupants and contents of the vehicle from the outside.

Please realise that window tinting on windows adjacent to the driver and front passenger is strongly desired, and is legal in many northern states, including Maryland, West Virginia, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Commuter drivers need the relief from heat and glare as much as their rear-seat occupants.

We can satisfy their needs without endangering Law Enforcement Officers with a film that results in 35% NET light transmittance.

If legislation is passed that restricts window tinting on windows adjacent to the driver and passenger windows, or worse, completely restricts tinting from passenger cars, profesional tint shops will close and the amount of self-installed, excessive tinting will only increase. Professional tinters, the majority of which operate their own business, do not wish to harm their industry by contributing to the perception that tinted windows are completely black, whereas your typical ill-informed self-installing consumer is not concerned with the tinting industry or the safety of Law Enforcement Officers.

Thank you for your Consideration.

[Guest cheesehead98]

I hope 35% is what will be passed all the way around. What do you all think?

TOM

[tintman Pa]

!!!!

[countpwt]

Those state boys are pretty tough enforcers of the law up there. The more you restrict the law, the more extreme the public becomes. That in turn will make it harder for professionals. Then no one is happy.

[Madtown98]

anything new with this?

[Guest coredneck]

A better standard would be 24% NET - combine 35% film with 70% glass. If sticking with a 35% NET, the darkest you can use would be a 50% film, with it being light colored, it is almost not worth spending the money for a tint job of just 50%. personally, I favor a 24% NET front doors and anything behind or if the back windows are regulated, permit 15% NET preferably leaving the rear sides out.

When I lived in Indiana, origianally they had a vague law for the front sides and anything behind but then in 1989, they implemented a standard of 35% standard but the down side, they decided to include the rear window on the regulation. With the vague standard, some cops interpreted the law where you couldn't have anything on the front doors similar to IL's law on tint. In 1995, they tried to return to the vague standard and there was a police officer who was on the committee and he pushed for this standard where it was up to the whim of the officer. There was a battle on this legislation and they ended up keeping the numeric standards but dropped the number from 35% to 30%. They tinkered with the tint law back on 2001 where it added tint shops could be fined for going beyond the standards. The original bill would have removed the defined numbers and replaced it where it had to comply with federal regulations which is 70%. This owuld have put IN tint shops out of business.