WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Massachusetts state legislature held a hearing in Boston June 26 regarding Massachusetts’ Right to Repair legislation (House Bill 296). The bill was heard by the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, which is headed by chairmen state Sen. Michael Morrissey and state Rep. Michael Rodrigues.

Donny Seyfer, AAM, co-owner of Seyfer Automotive in Wheatridge, Colo., presented testimony on behalf of ASA as part of an opposition panel. Seyfer currently serves as the Mechanical Division president and chairman of ASA-Colorado. Additional panelists included Mark Saxonberg of Toyota, Jennifer Cole of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and Paul Ryan of the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers.

As part of his testimony, Seyfer addressed specific incidents presented in the hearing by Dave Scaler, director of the Mechanics’ Education Association. Scaler cited examples of auto repair situations in which technicians did not have access to the information needed to repair a vehicle. Seyfer responded to these examples by explaining that each of these incidents were isolated and could be addressed with the use of proper tools – and training regarding where to find service information.

Seyfer also explained the role of the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF). He told the group that he has encountered only two instances where he did not have the information he needed and he turned to NASTF for help. He said each of these issues was resolved – and in both cases, the vehicle was successfully and efficiently repaired. During his testimony, Seyfer used examples applicable to Massachusetts and said only four complaints could be found in the NASTF log from the state, all of which were resolved.

Other members of the opposition panel testified that manufacturers view independent repairers as partners and have no basis for withholding information from them. The panel also testified that the only gaps remaining for the service information issue involve security codes, which are being addressed by NASTF through the NASTF Security Registry and Secure Data Release Model (SDRM). This program begins pilot enrollment of independent technicians and locksmiths in July 2007, with the full-scale pilot of SDRM beginning in September 2007.

For more information visit www.asashop.org.