By the SEMA Washington, D.C. office
The U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Innovation, Data,
and Commerce held a hearing this week on "Proposals to Enhance Product Safety and Transparency for Americans." The subcommittee hearing included the review of 14 bills, including H.R. 906, "Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act." The SEMA-supported REPAIR Act is a bipartisan bill that would ensure automotive enthusiasts, aftermarket parts manufacturers, and repair shops have access to the information and tools needed to maintain and personalize vehicles as automotive technology evolves.
SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola submitted a formal statement supporting H.R. 906 and encouraged lawmakers to expand the bill to include similar protections to protect businesses that produce and install parts that modify or customize vehicles. "SEMA strongly supports the REPAIR Act as drafted but also requests that the bill be expanded to clarify that it protects the right to modify vehicles, ensuring that auto manufacturers cannot employ any technological, legal, or cryptographic barriers that impede the ability of an aftermarket parts manufacturer or a vehicle repair facility to produce or install aftermarket parts and software that are custom, upgrade, or modify a vehicle," Spagnola said. Read his letter to the subcommittee.
The REPAIR Act was introduced by U.S. Representative Neal Dunn (R-FL) and Reps. Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Warren Davidson (R-OH), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA). It currently has 42 co-sponsors (21 Republicans and 21 Democrats). Click here to send a letter to your U.S. Representative asking them to support and expand the REPAIR Act to protect our right to modify vehicles.
For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org or visit sema.org/advocacy/right-to-repair.