Posted 5/4/2009
By Clarence Mills

Utah Governor Signs Salvage Vehicle Legislation

Utah Gov. Jon M. Huntsman has signed Utah Senate Bill 193, the Salvage Vehicle Amendments Act, which amends provisions relating to salvage vehicles.

Specifically, the bill provides that a person may offer for sale, sell or exchange a vehicle with a salvage certificate at or through a motor vehicle auction to any authorized purchaser that is in-state, out-of-state or out-of-country.

The Automotive Service Association (ASA) opposes this bill because it is anti-consumer and not in the best interests of the collision repair industry.

NHTSA's Revises CAFÉ Standards

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recently revised its Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standards.

The purpose of the CAFÉ standards is to reduce energy consumption by increasing the fuel economy of cars and light trucks. The NHTSA and the EPA regulate CAFÉ standards. The NHTSA sets fuel economy standards for vehicles sold in the United States, while the EPA calculates the average fuel economy for each manufacturer.

OTC Changing Auto Refinishing Rule

The Ozone Transport Commis_sion (OTC) is a multi-state organization created under the Clean Air Act. The OTC is responsible for advising the Environ_mental Protection Agency (EPA) on transport issues for developing and implementing regional solutions to the ground-level ozone problem in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

The OTC Stationary/Area Source Committee has been charged with developing potential control measures that may be suitable for adoption in each OTC state with an ozone nonattainment area.

Among the volatile organic compound measures to be considered by the OTC is a new auto refinishing rule. The OTC has discussed the proposed regulation with ASA and will determine the outcome of its proposal later in 2009. When finalized, the proposal will be recommended to 12 states and the District of Columbia.

California Senate Changes Parts Legislation

California Senate Bill 350, The Motor Vehicle Insurance: Automobile Repairs: Restraint Systems Act, has been re-referred to the California Senate Banking, Finance and Insurance Com_mittee. State Sen. Leland Y. Yee (D), author of S.B. 350, amended and reintroduced the bill to the committee.

Eliminated from the original legislation are requirements for nonoriginal equipment manufacturer crash parts to be certified by an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recognized entity if the parts are presumed to be at least of like kind and quality as the part being replaced in terms of fit, function, and finish.

S.B. 350 would prohibit the use of aftermarket crash parts unless the parts were of equal quality to the parts being replaced, and would require the insurer to provide a written estimate of the use of aftermarket parts before the repair was begun.

ASA opposed the original language in S.B. 350. ASA's Collision Division leadership is reviewing the current version of the legislation and will submit comments to the committee.