AAAS Conducts Annual 'Capitol Days' Lobbying Event in Tallahassee

AAAS Conducts Annual ‘Capitol Days’ Lobbying Event in Tallahassee

The main issue AAAS addressed during Capitol Days was House Bill 5005, a bill to deregulate auto repair shops. AAAS opposes this legislation and says it would create significant public safety risks for consumers in Florida with no mechanism in place to require unregulated shops and individuals to comply with the same common sense safety, quality and training standards and certifications currently required of repair facilities.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A delegation of Automotive Aftermarket Association Southeast (AAAS) members recently met with Florida state executives, legislators, administrators and staffers to discuss issues affecting the automotive aftermarket industry. Steve Wiggins ‐ Wiggins Auto Parts; George Ehrhard ‐ AAAS; Jarrett Liles ‐ Connie Liles Auto Parts; Pam Bondi ‐ Attorney General of Florida; Randal Ward ‐ AAAS; Catalina Jelkh, Ramon Looby, Trevor Mask & Ray Colas ‐ LKQ Corporation.

“This year, we welcomed a new class of state officials whose decisions over the coming term, and in the coming years, will have a major impact on the aftermarket," said AAAS board member Jarrett Liles of Connie Liles Auto Parts in Tallahassee. "We took advantage of our time in the Capitol to introduce the industry, the association and our legislative issues to the newcomer executives and legislators."

The delegation had the opportunity to meet with Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and Attorney General Pam Bondi. AAAS members also conducted meetings with various legislators including Senator Garrett Richter, chair of Banking and Insurance Committee; and Representative Janet Cruz, ranking member of the House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee.

AAAS believe deregulating the motor vehicle repair industry would result in an influx of unqualified individuals opening business without the training and equipment necessary to put vehicles back on the road. The association says deregulation would lead to greater risk of the consumer being exposed to unscrupulous individuals, who would have the freedom to inflate prices for parts and labor as they would not be required to provide written estimates or invoices. It is the position of the aftermarket association that this bill would do nothing to serve the public or better the standing of the industry in the eyes of the consumer.