Ohio Senate Changes OEM Parts Bill
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
Maryland Salvage Bill Signed by Governor
Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley has signed H.B. 1199, which curtails marketplace issues resulting from the state’s 75 percent salvage vehicle threshold by adding exclusions for "cosmetic damage" and "the cost of towing, storage or vehicle rental." The Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) says it played a pivotal role in suggesting and producing the legislation,
Maaco Franchisee Testifies Before Congress on Behalf of Small Business
Committee members support SBA funding.
Ohio Bill Could Limit Independent Shops’ Access to OEM Parts
Companion bills S.B. 204 and H.B. 364 were introduced in the Ohio Legislature to address the evolution the automobile industry has undergone over the past 30 years and provide reasonable compensation to a dealer to recoup investment should a manufacturer’s actions cause the franchise to lose value. However, independent repairers fear that provisions in the
House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection Passes Bill to Strengthen NHTSA
The U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, Energy and Commerce Committee, held a mark-up session on the "Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010." The bill would expand the authority of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., chairman of the subcommittee, opened the mark-up session
EDITOR’S NOTES: Same Old, Same Old
I attended a recent Collision Industry Conference (CIC) and heard this: “We have all the people we need in this room to get something done without turning to politicians.” The person obviously believes that legislation doesn’t always solve the collision repair industry’s problems. I’ve also heard another version of the same thing addressing regulation of
Missouri Licensing Bill Receives Strong Opposition from Insurers
Good news and bad news came out of the April 12 hearing of Missouri S.B. 709, according to Bob Smith, ASA MoKan Collision Division director. The bill would create licensing procedures for auto body repair facilities and physical damage appraisers. The good news, Smith says, is that the bill got a hearing in a year
Wisconsin Steering Bill Dies with Legislative Session
A bill addressing steering, labor rates and estimates, S.B. 118, failed to pass the Wisconsin Senate before the end of its 2009-2010 legislative session. Insurers and repairers in the state debated whether the bill was needed earlier this year, with insurers claiming it would slow down the repair process and supporters of the bill –
ASA Parts Safety Task Force Meets with NHTSA
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) Parts Safety Task Force met with senior officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) April 28 to discuss automotive safety defects, ways to raise awareness of safety defects and aftermarket crash parts regulation. Members of ASA’s Parts Safety Task Force are Ron Nagy, AAM, ASA chairman-elect, Nagy’s Collision
Maryland Salvage Bill Awaits Governor’s Signature
Fifteen months following the marketplace enactment of the 75 percent salvage threshold in Maryland (S.B. 568), a bill that adds an exclusion to the threshold for “cosmetic damage” and “the cost of towing, storage or vehicle rental” (H.B. 1199) has passed the Maryland House and Senate. The bill, supported by the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body