The Ohio Senate has amended a bill that would have prohibited the sale of OEM parts by independent repair shops.
Reacting to efforts by automotive industry associations including the
Automotive Service Association of Ohio (ASA-Ohio) and the Ohio Tire
& Automotive Association (OTAA), S.B. 204 was amended to allow the
independent aftermarket to sell and install OEM parts, particularly in
the case of warranty work and vehicle or component recalls.
It’s expected that the Ohio House, which was considering an identical bill, will follow the same amendment.
ASA-Ohio said that the bill would have harmed the state’s independent
repair facilities and limited consumers’ options for vehicle repair. OTAA had similar concerns.
“Our concerns from the start were twofold: First, the original bill
would have been extremely detrimental to many tire and automotive parts
and repair businesses throughout the state,” said OTAA President John
Miller. “Limiting what our members can sell and what types of service
our members can offer to consumers would have put incredible pressure
on this industry. And second, the bill would have limited consumer
choice by forcing consumers to buy OEM parts directly from dealerships.”
More information:
Ohio Bill Could Limit Independent Shops' Access to OEM Parts