Minot Sen. Randy Schobinger Continues to Promote Anti-Motorist, Anti-Consumer, Anti-Small Business Bill, According to CARE

    ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 5 "The last legislative session
witnessed the defeat of anti-competition, anti-motorist, anti-small business
crash parts legislation. After a bitter battle that pitted the auto body
shops, who favored the legislation, and aftermarket companies who opposed the
anti-motorist bill, the legislation went down in defeat.
    "But, despite hearing from motoring-taxpayers and aftermarket workers who
oppose crash parts legislation, Rep. Schobinger has introduced another crash
parts bill, SB 2358, that will eventually cause the price of ALL cars parts to
dramatically rise and could easily raise insurance premiums across the state,
due to making competition difficult or nonexistent," stated Sandy Bass-Cors,
Executive Director, the Coalition for Auto Repair Equality (CARE).
    "Senate Bill 2358 passed out of the Senate, as last year's bill did (but
was defeated in the House), and is now in the House Transportation Committee,
where a public hearing will be held on Wednesday, March 7th.  It's expected to
have a large turn-out of those supporting and opposing the bill.
    "Among many of the problems for consumers in SB 2358 are that replacement
parts constitute fenders, hoods, doors, bumper systems and related structural
components. Related structural parts have nothing to do with cosmetic parts,
but go under the hood for 'hard parts, proving once more that this is about a
higher profit margin for those promoting the bill and not about safety.'
    "In addition, SB 2358 is in violation of Federal, pre-emptive legislation
known as the Magnuson-Moss Act, passed in the United States Senate in the
1970s.  Magnuson-Moss prohibits warranties from being tied to repairs.  And
since SB 2358 applies to motor vehicles in the current calendar year or in the
seven calendar years before the current calendar year, this certainly violates
Magnuson-Moss and makes SB 2358 a pro-monopoly bill that legislates business
to one industry over another, at the expense of consumers," stated Bass-Cors.
    Forty-two states have introduced crash parts bills and 42 have killed
them.  Montana has killed three crash parts bills and passed one over a year
ago, HB 506.  House Bill 506 has since had a class action lawsuit filed
against the bill, the state of Montana and the former Insurance Commissioner
on Constitutional grounds and Interference with Interstate Commerce laws.
That bill is still in litigation.
    Among some of the co-sponsors of SB 2358 are Senators Fischer, Krebsbach,
Stenehjem and Representatives Berg and Warner.
    "To pass legislation on behalf of a few people who want to have business
'handed to them' at the expense of consumers is a disservice to the
hardworking people of North Dakota," concluded Bass-Cors.