WASHINGTON, D.C. – New Right to Repair legislation has been introduced in Maine.
House Bill 539 was recently introduced by Rep. Bernard L.A. Ayotte (R-3). According to a report from the Automotive Service Association (ASA), the bill requires motor vehicle manufacturers to make available to vehicle owners and independent motor vehicle repair facilitiesdiagnostic and repair information and equipment at no more than fair marketvalue and in a way that does not unfairly favor the manufacturers’ dealers and authorized repair facilities.
Similar legislation, establishing the Massachusetts state government as a regulator of service information, was passed by the legislature and signed by the governor of Massachusetts last year. In addition, voters in Massachusetts approved a ballot initiative establishing a new Right to Repair law in Massachusetts.
Automobile manufacturer trade associations and parts distributors supported the Massachusetts legislation. ASA opposed theMassachusetts Right to Repair legislation and ballot initiative, and says it also opposes the bill introduced in Maine.
Opposed to state or federal laws, ASA stated that it continues to support a marketplace solution for independent repairers obtaining service information as outlined by the 2002 ASA-Automaker Service Information Agreement.
