Over 80% of Mainers voted “yes” in a ballot initiative to ensure car owners and the independent repair shops of their choice can access vehicle diagnostic tools and data necessary for routine repairs. The Maine vote comes after movement on the federal level to advance the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act (H.R. 906).
“The result of last night’s election in Maine proved another victory for the American consumer and the right to repair movement that is gaining support across the United States,” said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO, Auto Care Association. “The right to repair is one of a few unifying issues our nation faces, and whether we achieve repair access chamber by chamber or state by state, I am confident that every American will soon have the fundamental right to repair what belongs to them. Right to repair isn’t going away and this victory demonstrates that it’s an issue that needs to be resolved.”
With Maine’s progress in marking a step forward for the broader auto Right-to-Repair movement, CAR Coalition Executive Director Justin Rzepka underscored that work remains to be done to advance car repair protections for drivers across the country:
“Maine voters’ overwhelming show of support for Question 4 adds momentum to the growing national push for right to repair protections. The CAR Coalition will continue this important fight at the federal level with bipartisan bills like the SMART and REPAIR Acts to ensure every American – no matter where they live – has the right to repair the car they own,” he said.
Just last week, a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee unanimously voted to advance the bipartisan REPAIR Act to the full committee for consideration. The move came on the heels of a White House event that heard from key administration officials and industry representatives like CAR Coalition Member Allstate Insurance on the need for federal repair protections like the REPAIR Act and the bipartisan Save Money on Auto Repair Transportation (SMART) Act (H.R. 1707).
