Florida House Bill 5005, "Deregulations of Professions
and Occupations," sponsored by Rep. Esteban Bovo Jr.,
R-Dist. 110, includes provisions that would repeal
Florida's law requiring the registration of motor
vehicle repair shops with the Motor Vehicle Repair
Advisory Council and the regulation of motor vehicle
repair.
The Florida Motor Vehicle Repair Act, which
became a law, was created to assist consumers with
matters relating to motor vehicle repair shops. The
Motor Vehicle Repair Advisory Council was created to
advise and assist the Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer
Services in carrying out and reviewing the rules
relating to the Florida Motor Vehicle Repair Act. The
law applies to dealers of new and used cars, trucks and
motorcycles; garages; service stations; self-employed
persons; truck stops; and paint, body, brake, muffler,
transmission, mobile repair and glass shops.
Registered shops must post, in a conspicuous
location in the customer service area, the registration
certificate and a sign advising consumers of their
rights under the Motor Vehicle Repair Act and give the
department’s toll-free telephone number for assistance
or information. Shops must also include in the sign a
statement advising consumers they are entitled to the
return or inspection of replaced parts, if requested at
the time the work order is placed. Finally, shops must
include their registration number in any
advertisements, announcements, or listings relating to
motor vehicle repair in any newspaper, magazine or
directory.
If Bill 5005 were to be passed as currently
drafted, motor vehicle repair facilities will be
deregulated. The Motor Vehicle Repair Act is vital to
the motor vehicle repair experience for consumers in
the state of Florida. Before 1993, there were
approximately 5,500 consumer complaints per year
related to automotive repair. Resolutions for these
complaints went through the state court system, which
was an expensive 2- to 3-year process. During fiscal
year 2009-2010, there were only 1,743 complaints for
the year, a 70 percent decrease since the start of the
program. With the Florida population increasing 35
percent during that time, the effective decrease in
complaints was actually closer to 80 percent.
The Florida Motor Vehicle Repair Act is self-
funded by the automotive service industry, and helps to
offset much of the cost for the call center for all of
the motor vehicle-related programs. The annual cost of
the program for 90 percent of shops is $50.
PAGE 2 There are more
than 22,000 auto repair shops in Florida. The program
created by the Florida Motor Vehicle Repair Act is
effective and successfully arbitrates nearly 70 percent
of all complaints within 60 days.
The programs in Florida are cost-effective for
consumers and the industry as a whole. It has been a
model program for other states. ASA opposes these
provisions included in House Bill 5005.
To view full text of the bill, and to send a
letter to your Florida legislators in opposition to
House Bill 5005, please visit ASA’s legislative
website, www.TakingTheHill.com.
The Automotive Service Association is the
largest not-for-profit trade association of its kind
dedicated to and governed by independent automotive
service and repair professionals. ASA serves an
international membership base that includes numerous
affiliate, state and chapter groups from both the
mechanical and collision repair segments of the
automotive service industry. ASA’s headquarters is in
Bedford, Texas.
ASA advances professionalism and excellence in
the automotive repair industry through education,
representation and member services. For additional
information about ASA, including past news releases, go
to www.ASAshop.org, or visit ASA’s
legislative website at www.TakingTheHill.com.
