The Massachusetts state legislature ended its formal session on Saturday evening, July 31, without having taken action on Senate Bill 2517, the Massachusetts' "Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Bill." The bill had been referred to the state's House Committee on Ways and Means, and the committee opted to take no action. The bill passed the Massachusetts Senate earlier this summer.
As a result, it is unlikely that the legislation will be considered in the Massachusetts' legislature's informal session for the remainder of the year. Presently, eight states and the U.S. Congress have said no to proposed Right to Repair legislation so far.
"Every legislative body that has considered this legislation has said no," said Ron Pyle, ASA president and chief staff executive. "Countless resources have been spent by the legislation's proponents to pass a bill that is not necessary and will only complicate how repairers conduct day-to-day business. These monies could have been used to train so many of our technicians and provide them the information technology to compete in the repair of automobiles today and in the future.
"Much of the public message offered by the proponents has been that independent repairers can't repair their customers' cars because they can't get service information. This simply is not the case," added Pyle. "Our members are open for business, and they can repair consumers' vehicles without the help of the Massachusetts state government and court system."
The full text of the legislation can be viewed in the Track Legislation section of ASA's legislative website, www.takingthehill.com, and more information is available in the Information Availability section.
The Automotive Service Association is the largest not-for-profit trade association of its kind dedicated to and governed by independent automotive service and repair professionals. ASA serves an international membership base that includes numerous affiliate, state and chapter groups from both the mechanical and collision repair segments of the automotive service industry. ASA's headquarters is in Bedford, Texas.
ASA advances professionalism and excellence in the automotive repair industry through education, representation and member services. For additional information about ASA, including past news releases, go to www.asashop.org.
