The California Autobody Association has issued a Legislative Alert requesting all California shops to contact the governor's office in opposition to AB 2825 (Carter). This bill is very similar to one vetoed last year by Governor Schwarzenegger.

The bill requires additional certification notices and copies of invoices ---from vendors, distributors, dealers, or manufacturers--- be attached to final bills given to the consumer. This formerly confidential information would now be made public. It also gives the bureau of automotive repair (BAR) additional regulatory power.

The CAA notes that existing law already requires shops to provide abundant documentation that the crash parts identified on the estimate were installed and argues that AB 2825 only creates another bureaucratic layer of paperwork that shops and customers don't need. 

Carter sponsored a similar bill last year (AB 1483) which was vetoed by the governor, who said in part: "the provisions of the bill (AB 1483) are duplicative of existing law and therefore unnecessary. In fact, the provisions may lead to increased expenses and decreased efficiency at automotive repair dealers, which could result in reduced customer service and higher costs passed onto the consumer."

CAA is asking shops to FAX their objections to the bill to the governor's office: 916-445-4633 or 916-558-3160.