Caliber Collision announced its 8th Arizona acquisition with a grand opening in Tempe.

Further accelerating its growth plans focused on customer needs, Caliber Collision Centers announced today that it has acquired Elite Collision in Tempe, AZ.

The first of a series of measures aimed at regulating buy-here, pay-here dealers in California received a majority vote from an entire legislative chamber. The bills were called strong protections for used-car buyers.

After gaining similar support from various committees, the state's Senate approved AB 1447 on August 23 by a margin of 22-14. The bill's primary sponsor is Assemblyman Mike Feuer.

Now with Senate approval, the Assembly will have one final vote on whether to push AB 1447 on to Gov. Jerry Brown for it to become law. Complete legislative approval must occur before the end of the month, and Brown has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto the measure.

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Here is the scenario: One afternoon a group of very business-like individuals walk into your shop. Are they getting an estimate? No. Are they selling something? Absolutely not. Or are they here to simply discuss the advantages of waterborne paint? Not likely.

After business cards get exchanged and pleasantries are conveyed, you quickly realize that you’re being inspected by the California Labor Enforcement Task Force (LETF), a team that enforces the state’s labor regulations and cites those companies that don’t adhere to the law. Suddenly, dire thoughts begin darting through your brain. “I know I run an honest shop and we try to adhere to all the laws, but have I forgotten something?” you ask yourself. It’s a frightening moment for any business owner and plenty get cited and fined every month throughout the state for a wide range of offenses.

With more than 50 people in attendance at the Santa Clara County California Autobody Association’s (SCC-CAA) July meeting, five representatives from LETF made presentations and shared information that is designed to help body shops in order to operate within the laws of the state. Consisting of five organizations and a lot of acronyms, LETF includes the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE); Division of Occupational Safety & Health (CAL/OSHA); Employment Development Department (EDD); Board of Equalization (BOE); and Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR).

Industry trade groups went to the California capital to protest the state Department of Insurance’s (CDI) proposed regulations governing auto-body repairs and the use of aftermarket replacement car parts. Officials issued a notice in June (see autobodynews.com) that it was seeking to change state standards of repair and use of aftermarket parts by clarifying insurers’ obligations during the repair process. Officials called it an effort to address “disputes regarding the true cost of repairs of damaged vehicles and the applicable repair standard” that “continue to negatively affect the claims-handling process.”

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America issued the following news release in response to CDI’s proposed regulations: