AAIA Annual Report 2008 - (Page 12) connecting to elected officials The AAIA government affairs department continued its aggressive agenda aimed at protecting the independent vehicle aftermarket. Two main initiatives were front and center, the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act and efforts by the state of California to enact extended “lifetime” emissions warranties. Enactment of the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act AAIA continued to press for passage in Congress of the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act (H.R. 2694), directed at ensuring that the independent aftermarket has the same access to tools and service information as the new car dealer. Right to Repair legislation did gain major momentum in Massachusetts. Buoyed by a strong wave of grassroots support from industry, a Right to Repair bill was passed by the Joint Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee in May. The bill continued to gain support in the Massachusetts legislature and was poised for consideration on the House floor, until the body became bogged down in the closing days of the session with budget and social issues. Similarly, Right to Repair legislation was introduced in both the New Jersey Assembly and the Senate. Defeat of State Efforts to Extend Emissions Warranties AAIA and its coalition filed a lawsuit in California seeking to overturn a regulation by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to extend vehicle emissions warranties to 10 years/120,000 miles for parts that are found to have systematic defects. AAIA, working with a coalition of other state and national aftermarket groups, insists that CARB lacks the statutory authority to extend warranties beyond the three years/50,000 miles for all emissions-related parts and seven years/70,000 miles for higher priced repairs that are required under state law to be offered by car companies. 12 A A I A A N N UA L R E P O R T 2 0 0 8 A Y E A R O F CO N N E C T I O N http://www.aftermarket.org/Government.aspx http://www.righttorepair.org/
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