Auto Care Association State Government Affairs Update: July 10, 2023

what's moving:

• Rhode Island SB 925 was signed into law by Governor Daniel McKee (D). Among other things, it requires insurers to properly compensate auto body repair shops and sets up a new system for third party appraisal. A description is here.
• New Jersey AB 4784, requiring VIN to be stamped onto catalytic converters passed the Assembly on a 67 – 10 vote and now goes to the state Senate.
• Delaware HB 78, relating to catalytic converters was passed the Senate and was sent to the Governor.
• California SB 244, a digital right to repair bill, passed the Assembly Committee on Privacy & Consumer Protection and was amended and referred back to the Judiciary Committee.
• California AB 1263, would among other things require vehicle smog checks to be performed at facilities certified by the state. It was amended and referred back to the Senate Committee on Business & Professions.
• California AB 1519, increasing penalties for catalytic converter theft was unanimously approved by the Senate Committee on Transportation and recommended it be passed by consent.
• Delaware HR 17, requesting the state reconsider joining California’s Clean Air standards failed passage by one vote. The Legislature has now adjourned for the year.

state news this week: 

Last year, California legislators approved the FAST Act, which would create a Fast Food Council empowered to set wages and conditions of workers in that sector. Business groups strongly opposed the bill and after it was approved were able to gain enough public signatures to put the new law on hold until voters decide its fate in November, 2024. This year, lawmakers may have found a clever work around to reaching their goal by quietly resurrecting a long dormant state agency via this year’s budget and charging it with setting wages for certain industries, most likely to include fast food establishments. Industry groups are not happy with the development.

Summer time brings longer days, quiet legislatures, and often changes in caucus leadership. This is especially true within minority party groups but for varying reasons. Sometimes unhappy memories of recent legislative sessions mean change is coming, as shown in Iowa where Senate Democrats booted their leader last week. Announced retirements play a role, as in New Jersey where the Republican Senate Minority Leader announced his decision not to run for reelection, or for a career change like Arizona’s Democratic House Minority Leader. They come and they go.

legislation we're tracking:

Here are some bills we are watching closely:

statehouse automobile reports

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) announced a proposed state rule that will require at least 43% of cars and 20% of all trucks sold in the state by 2026 must be EV’s. The plan is expected to be approved by the state Environmental Improvement Board.

Kentucky has become the first (but probably not the last) state to mandatethat charging stations must include Tesla’s North American Charging Standard and the Combined Charging System (NACS) if they wish to qualify for federal funding.

Fifteen state Attorneys General have now signed a letter urging Congress to oppose car maker efforts to no longer provide AM radios in new vehicles.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court ruling that Hawaii officials did not violate Constitutional guarantees of free expression by revoking a personalized license plate on the grounds that it was profane. This article does not refer to the plate, so it must have been pretty bad.

No matter how strongly you feel, keying a vehicle is never a good thing to do as one Rhode Island legislator found out.

Now that Oregon has acted, what is New Jersey’s problem?

For questions, email govaffairs@autocare.org.