WASHINGTON, D.C. — After studying the issue for much of this legislative session, the Maine Joint Standing Committee on Business, Research, and Economic Development met last week to make a formal recommendation on whether the so-called Right to Repair bill should be forwarded to the legislature. Following the work session, the committee unanimously decided that at this time legislation was unnecessary and asked stakeholders to update the committee in April 2008 on various training initiatives proposed by the Maine Automobile Dealers Association (MADA) and the Automotive Service Association (ASA). At the conclusion of the meeting Nancy Smith, committee chair, said she would prefer to see parties come together and keep moving toward a voluntary resolution. She labeled this the preferable solution rather than the passage of a law that would be very difficult or costly to enforce. In the weeks leading up to the work session, representatives from MADA, ASA and automakers held several service information demonstrations in an effort to educate members of the committee and Maine independent repairers about the progress made in service information availability. It became apparent at these demonstrations that problems existed due to a lack of specific training, rather than a lack of service information or inadequate technicians. In an attempt to alleviate this problem, the Maine Automobile Dealers Association has allocated funds to sponsor training in information technology (IT) and service information accessibility. In rejecting the act, Maine adds its name to the growing list of states agreeing that legislation is unnecessary. ASA says that manufacturers, dealers and repairers believe the current service information distribution system provides not only an effective mechanism for technicians to repair cars but also a productive environment to continue to improve information accessibility, tool information accessibility and training. Five years ago the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (Alliance), Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM) and ASA pledged to address any discrepancy in service information between manufacturers and independent repairers. An agreement was reached and the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF) was asked to address gaps in service information. This agreement is working. In fact, out of the approximately 500 million post warranty repairs that took place nationally in 2006, the Task Force received only 38 inquiries for additional information. The existence of automaker service information Web sites, third-party service information providers and the NASTF resolution process preclude the need for such legislation. | 
