Contact:
| Clarence Mills
(202) 543-1440
c.mills@att.net |
For Release:
| Immediate
News Bulletin PR-35
April 28, 2009
|
Missouri House Protects State Safety Inspection Program
ASA Thanks Missouri Repairers for Speaking Up!
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 28, 2009 - The Missouri House of Representatives has eliminated the language in Senate Bill 58 that would have caused serious harm to Missouri's state vehicle safety inspection program. Missouri S.B. 58, an act that modifies several provisions of law relating to transportation, would have exempted vehicles from safety inspection testing for their first 10 years, which would have allowed a car to have been driven 150,000 miles or more (based on the average annual mileage of 15,000) before its first vehicle safety inspection.
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) opposed S.B. 58 because it would have allowed unsafe vehicles to traverse the roads and highways of Missouri and placed unknowing drivers and passengers at risk. In a letter to Missouri repair shop owners, Robert L. Redding Jr., ASA's Washington, D.C., representative, asked repairers to contact their legislators to oppose provisions diluting the safety inspection program. The letter noted that "Missouri's safety inspection program has been a model for other states. Missouri law enforcement officials are to be commended for the program's contributions."
Redding said, "We want to thank Missouri repair shop owners for contacting their legislators asking that they oppose efforts to weaken the state safety inspection program. This should be an example to repairers in other states that speaking up does have value in the political process."
Approximately 20 states have some form of periodic motor vehicle safety inspection program. Programs in Missouri and North Carolina often face the threat of elimination. ASA is working in an industry coalition to protect current programs and expand inspection programs to other states. Legislation has also been introduced in the U.S. Congress that will encourage states to initiate new programs.
To view the updated version of this bill, please visit ASA's legislative Web site at www.TakingTheHill.com.
The Automotive Service Association is the largest not-for-profit trade association of its kind dedicated to and governed by independent automotive service and repair professionals. ASA serves an international membership base that includes numerous affiliate, state and chapter groups from both the mechanical and collision repair segments of the automotive service industry. ASA's headquarters is in Bedford, Texas.
ASA advances professionalism and excellence in the automotive repair industry through education, representation and member services. For additional information about ASA, including past news releases, go to www.ASAshop.org, or visit ASA's legislative Web site at www.TakingTheHill.com.
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