The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act has been introduced in the Oklahoma state legislature. "Passage of the (bill) should be a number one priority for both Oklahoma's independent aftermarket and car owners," says Kathleen Schmatz, CEO and president of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA).
The bill would mandate that vehicle manufacturers provide independent tire dealers and auto repair shops with access to the same diagnostic and repair information they provide to franchised car dealerships.
"The Oklahoma bill strikes an important balance between preserving competition in the state's repair industry and providing strong protections for the car companies' legitimate intellectual property rights," says Aaron Lowe, vice president of government affairs for the AAIA.
Last October, the New Jersey Assembly's Consumer Affairs Committee unanimously passed New Jersey's version of the Right to Repair Act.
