Car Key Broken, Lost or Stolen? Be Prepared to Spend Big Bucks, Says Auto Club; Auto Club, Assemblyman Ridley-Thomas Team up to Support Proposed Law Requiring Consumer Access to Key Replacement Info

--Automobile Club of Southern California:

WHAT:   High-tech car keys, transponders, vehicles, a locksmith, and
        consumer victims will be on hand to demonstrate a growing
        problem. Did you know that if your car key or transponder
        wears out, breaks or goes missing, you will likely have to pay
        a minimum of $200 to replace it, you may lose the use of your
        car for several days and you could even have to replace your
        ignition at a cost of $400 or higher?

        Today's high-tech car keys are designed to provide better
        security, but they also cause inconvenience and higher costs
        for consumers who have to replace them. This problem is
        growing bigger each year.

WHO:    Assemblyman Mark Ridley-Thomas, D-Los Angeles, and Alice
        Bisno, the Auto Club's vice president for legislative affairs,
        will discuss a possible solution to this problem: Assembly
        Bill 714, which requires that motorists be given 24-hour
        access to the information needed to replace lost, stolen or
        broken vehicle keys and transponders. This bill will have its
        first legislative hearing early in January.

WHEN:   Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 11 a.m.

WHERE:  Parking lot next to Auto Club headquarters, 2601 Figueroa St.,
        Los Angeles (parking lot is just west of Figueroa off 27th
        Street, one block south of Adams)