Oregon House Committee Holds Hearing on Right to Repair Legislation
A hearing was held yesterday in Salem, Ore., before the Oregon House Committee on Business and Labor involving right to repair legislation. The Right to Repair Act (HB 3243) was introduced into the Oregon legislature earlier this month. According to proponents of the bill, HB 3243 would ensure that the state’s motorists and independent repair
Quite the Deal
By Jason Stahl The sharks were swimming when I pulled into the parking lot of Pallotta Ford Lincoln in Wooster, Ohio. They could smell bleeding oil, and no doubt they heard me clunking down the road from a mile away. So I was not surprised when they descended upon me the moment I walked in
Pennsylvania Bill Would Make Insurance Commissioner an Elected Position
A bill that would make the Pennsylvania insurance commissioner an elected position has been introduced in the state’s House of Representatives. Currently, the insurance commissioner job in Pennsylvania is an appointed position. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Neal Goodman (D-Mahoning City), would limit an elected commissioner to holding no more than two consecutive, four-year terms.
House Passes Repeal of 1099 Reporting Mandate
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 4, the “Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011,” which repeals the 1099 reporting mandate in the new health care law, by a vote of 314-112. The reporting mandate requires small businesses to file a 1099 form with the Internal Revenue Service for every vendor that
NCOIL Rejects Motor Vehicle Crash Parts and Repair Model Act
In a hearing on March 6 in Washington, D.C., the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) Property & Casualty (P&C) Committee voted to reject the Model Act for Motor Vehicle Crash Parts and Repair. The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) had participated in debates over the model act since it was introduced in July
ASA Opposes Proposed Georgia Automotive Repair Tax
Legislation has been proposed in the Georgia House of Representatives that would create a sales tax on many services of small businesses. The bill, H.B. 385, if passed, would create a new sales tax on the labor costs on services performed by automotive repair facilities. The Automotive Service Association (ASA)says it opposes the proposed automotive
Right to Repair Introduced in Oregon
Right to Repair legislation has been proposed in the Oregon House of Representatives. The bill would require manufacturers of motor vehicles to make tools, information, software and wireless capabilities available to owners, owners’ designees and vehicle repair shops. This also includes any other means to activate, code or program electronic controls, and modules used to
Right to Repair Introduced in Connecticut; Repair Groups Disagree on Bill
The Connecticut Legislature is considering Right to Repair legislation, which would require OEMs to share diagnostic codes with independent repair shops. Two associations are on opposing sides of the Right to Repair debate: the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) testified in support of the legislation at a recent hearing, while the Automotive Service Association testified
Nevada Legislators Worry Bill Will Increase Number of Uninsured Drivers in State
Nevada legislators are worried that a bill that would boost the state’s minimum vehicle insurance level will force more drivers to go uninsured due to higher premiums. The worries came to light in a recent Assembly Transportation Committee debate on Assembly Bill 120. The bill was proposed by Assemblyman William Horne, who was injured in
House Bill Aims to Implement Review of Government Regulations’ Impact on Small Businesses
Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, Rep. Howard Coble, R-N.C., and Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., are proposing H.R. 527, the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2011, which would create economic protections for small businesses when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other federal government agencies draft new regulations. H.R. 527 aims to require that the EPA and
House Ways and Means Committee Approves Repeal of 1099 Reporting Mandate
On Feb. 17, the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee approved two pieces of legislation, H.R. 4, the “Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011,” and H.R. 705, the “Comprehensive 1099 Taxpayer Protection and Repayment of Exchange Subsidy Overpayments Act of 2011,” which repeals the 1099 reporting mandate in the new health care law.
Day 2 at Nagy’s: Pink Floyd and Cupcakes
I was so intent on getting to work on time today that I forgot to eat breakfast. I did have a cup of coffee, though, so that should hold me off for awhile. Strangely, Tammy the Office Manager and I start off the day with a philosophical discussion on life and death and the meaning