Auto body shop owners came to the Maine State House on May 9 to show support for a bill that would give independent repairers access to new vehicles’ repair and diagnostic information, so owners can decide where to get those vehicles fixed when needed.
The Maine Right to Repair coalition gathered more than 70,000 signatures in support of the bill, which were certified in February, allowing the question to go to the voters on the ballot in November if the Legislature does not pass the bill first.
“This is about the ability to choose where you get your car repaired,” said Tommy Hickey, director of the coalition, reported by Spectrum News. “This is about a level playing field for independent repair shops in Maine and having the ability to control the diagnostic repair information from a car that you bought and a car repair you will pay for.”
A similar ballot initiative passed with 75% voter support in Massachusetts in 2020, despite automakers spending more than $25 million to try to defeat it. Implementation of the Massachusetts law was on hold pending a decision by a federal judge after automakers sued to prevent it from going into effect, until the Massachusetts attorney general announced in March she will enforce the law, beginning June 1, despite the lack of a decision from the court.
