Mass. Right To Repair Committee Gets Enough Signatures For Ballot Question

Mass. Right To Repair Gets Enough Signatures For Ballot Question

The Massachusetts Right to Repair Committee turned in 24,000 signatures, more than the 13,374 required.

The Auto Care Association issued an announcement this week that the Massachusetts Right to Repair Committee turned in 24,000 signatures on Wednesday, July 1 to the Secretary of State regarding a ballot question that would mandate car companies provide car owners with control of repair data generated by their vehicles. The submission is more than the 13,374 signatures that are required by law to have a question placed on the ballot. While these signatures are usually collected manually, the COVID-19 virus forced the Committee was to seek a consent decree from the Massachusetts Supreme Court that permitted the collection of signatures electronically.

On Wednesday, July 8, the vehicle manufacturers under the guise of the Coalition for Safe and Secure Data, submitted a legal challenge to the Massachusetts Ballot Commission, arguing that the Right to Repair Committee disobeyed electronic signature-gathering requirements outlined by the Massachusetts Supreme Court by storing the signatures in a separate file and tracking personal data without notification. 

However, in a similar case decided by the Massachusetts Supreme Court on Monday, a candidate for Congress, Helen Brady, who used the same signature gathering vendor used by the Massachusetts Right to Repair Committee, had her challenge approved — thus allowing Brady to move on to the November ballot. Subsequent to that decision, the vehicle manufacturer coalition withdrew their challenge and the Secretary of State declared that the right to repair question will appear on the ballot and have the chance to be decided by Massachusetts voters.

The Right to Repair Committee released the following statement regarding the Secretary of State’s approval of the question for the November ballot:

“We are pleased for the voters and the tens of thousands of Massachusetts workers who depend on a free and open auto repair market,” said Tommy Hickey, director, Massachusetts Right to Repair. “By withdrawing their challenge, the front group for automakers and car dealers has admitted that their arguments against the Right to Repair signature effort were specious, ill-informed and not based on facts. Their attempt to once again thwart the will of the voters is a sign of their greed and continued desire to monopolize the auto repair market, leaving Massachusetts consumers and independent repair shops in the dust. The scare tactics from manufacturers and dealers have failed. A ‘yes’ vote for Right to Repair will protect Massachusetts drivers’ choice to continue to get their cars repaired wherever they want.”

You May Also Like

SEMA Urges Members to Support Tax Relief Bill

The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 benefits specialty automotive aftermarket businesses, according to SEMA.

SEMA Action Network

SEMA is encouraging its members to reach out to their representatives and ask for their support on H.R. 7024, the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024. The bill, which The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on this week, benefits specialty automotive aftermarket businesses, according to SEMA, by allowing for the immediate expensing of R&D and investments in equipment and increasing the small business expensing cap by nearly 30%.

ASA Endorses Bipartisan Tax Framework

The Automotive Service Association says the legislation is beneficial for independent automotive repair businesses.

Industry Partners Urge Congress to Pass R&D Deductibility Fix

“Congress must restore this tax provision to enhance U.S. competitiveness, job creation and innovation as soon as possible,” said Ann Wilson, MEMA’s executive vice president of government affairs.

Legislators Challenge Vehicle Data Access ‘Double Standard’

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez joined other legislators in sending a letter to NHTSA about proposed guidance for implementing the Massachusetts Right to Repair law.

House Passes Bill to Stop EPA Emissions Mandate

The U.S. House passed the “Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act” (H.R. 4468) with bipartisan support.

Opposition Grows for California’s Mandate Banning New Gas-Powered Vehicle Sales

Other Posts

Auto Care Voices Support for FTC, DOJ Comments on Right to Repair

The agencies asserted that renewing and expanding repair-related exemptions would promote competition in markets for replacement parts, repair and maintenance services.

bill hanvey right to repair
MEMA Aftermarket Provides Maine Right to Repair Update

MEMA opposes the Maine legislature advancing a law that would undo major parts of the right-to-repair referendum.

MEMA Aftermarket Recaps Maine Right to Repair Update
Gallery: MEMA Aftermarket’s Right-to-Repair Fly-In

MEMA said meetings with legislators and their staffs achieved support for The REPAIR Act vote on the House floor.

MEMA-Right-to-repair-fly-in
Snap-on Adds Access to Audi, VW Secured Vehicle Gateway

This new access to VAG vehicles adds to the existing access to 2018 and newer Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) vehicles, available through AutoAuth registration.

Audi and VW Snap-On access