“ASA has been involved in the Right to Repair legislation debate for a decade at the state and federal levels,” Redding said. “Since 2002, we have seen Right to Repair bills introduced in the Congress each session. No committee in Congress has ever passed the legislation despite many hearings in multiple committees. Up to seven states each year have seen Right to Repair legislation introduced. No state has passed the Right to Repair legislation despite more than a decade of activity on this legislation.”
Redding also included comments about the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF), explaining that it has served as a “mechanism to share information and resolve issues that arise in the areas of service information, tools and training.” He highlighted that in the United States, there are approximately 500 million post-warranty repair service orders each year, and that independent repair facilities repair about 75 percent of these cars. ASA noted that “the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Better Business Bureau have both told the U.S. Congress, in public hearings, that legislation is not needed to address automotive service information issues.”Redding closed by saying, “Right to repair legislation is not the answer to our industry’s needs. With the increased federal research dollars in clean fuel and clean engine technologies, our repair technicians will need additional, more frequent training. If you want to help our shops, put more resources in state vocational programs that encourage young people to enter our industry and equip them with the skills they need to succeed.”
To view full text of the testimony, visit ASA’s legislative website at www.TakingTheHill.com.
