On Feb. 15, Senate Bill 209, proposed by Senator Delores Kelley (D-District 10, Baltimore County) was voted unanimously by the Senate Finance Committee to be withdrawn without foreseeable reintroduction. The bill, intended to provide a documentation process for the use of new and salvaged air bags to protect consumers from air bag fraud, had been proposed in Maryland.
After repairer organizations gave strong opposition at the National Conference of Insurance Legislators, a model air bag bill, although amended, was still passed for use in individual states.
On Feb. 5, the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) sent out an urgent notice to repairers to oppose this bill, citing reasons that repairers and consumers could be harmed. Many repairers had taken the initiative to contact their representative if they were on the Senate Finance committee, which was hearing the bill first. Though these actions were taken immediately, WMABA was unsure of the response that would be seen in the bill hearings.
“This outcome was no doubt the result of WMABA, our lobbyist group Alexander & Cleaver and our Maryland constituents giving useful and pertinent information to the Senators, so that they could make an informed and consumer-conscientious decision,” says Brad Whiteford, WMABA president and owner of Whiteford’s Collision. “All WMABA membership should be proud of the efforts of the association to head off such a possible disaster for repairers throughout the country, because we all know how bills like these increase the chances for other special interests to attempt this in other states.”
For information regarding this bill or other legislative activities, contact the WMABA Executive Director Jordan Hendler at (804) 789-9649 or e-mail [email protected] or visit www.wmaba.com.
