“Shops should be calling on their legislators either in Sacramento or their districts to keep them updated on the collision industry,” states CAA Past President Dave Mello. 

CAA lobbied hard on the following bills at their recent Legislative Day at the State Capitol in Sacramento.  CAA members were able to call on over forty legislators and staff concerning each one of these bills and had an opportunity to educate their legislators on the collision industry and how each one of these proposed bills will affect shops and consumers. 

SB 1059 (Migden)-SUPPORT. This bill was introduced in the Senate Banking, Finance & Insurance Committee last week and received the necessary six votes to get it out of committee, based on proposed amendments to the bill.  The CAA supports this bill which prohibits an insurer from requiring the installation of an aftermarket crash part on a consumer’s vehicle if that vehicle is five or fewer model years old.  It has now been referred to the Judiciary Committee.

AB 2825 (Carter)-OPPOSE. This bill is scheduled to be heard on April 9th in the Assembly Business and Professions Committee.  CAA is opposed to this bill.  This bill is virtually the same bill as last year (AB 1483) that the CAA and its members lobbied the Governor and he vetoed the bill.  It still requires auto body shops to certify with an additional signature that the crash parts identified on the estimate and the invoice were actually installed on the vehicle. 

SB 1371 (Correa)-SUPPORT. This is the CAA sponsored bill that will require insurers to pay the reasonable cost of paint and material charges associated with automobile damage insurance claims. The bill makes it illegal for insurers to cap or limit paint and related material charges. The bill is set to be heard on April 16, 2008 in the Senate Banking, Finance & Insurance Committee

SB 1167 (Wiggins)-SUPPORT. The bill requires the insurer to ask the consumer if he or she has selected a shop to have their car repaired and if the consumer responds in the affirmative the insurer would be prohibited from engaging in any discussions regarding a program or facility that performs auto body repairs. This bill clarifies and strengthens existing anti-steering laws by providing consumers with meaningful choice. The bill is set to be heard on April 16, 2008 in the Senate Banking, Finance & Insurance Committee.

“Shops should be calling on their legislators either in Sacramento or their districts to keep them updated on the collision industry,” states CAA Past President Dave Mello.  “The CAA has been very successful in our approach to the legislators.  This kind of grass roots lobbying is one of the ways we can make positive changes for our industry.”