COLUMBUS, Ohio (Dec. 11, 2014) — The Automotive Service Association (ASA) is throwing its support to an Ohio bill that, if enacted, will extend the jurisdiction of the state's Motor Vehicle Repair Board to include mechanical repair shops.
Senate Bill 232 passed the Ohio Senate by a wide margin Dec. 3. Six days later, the Ohio House of Representatives' Committee on Commerce, Labor and Technology reported the bill favorably.
“Under current law, only collision repair facilities are required to register with the MVRB,” the ASA said in a press release.
“This loophole for mechanical repairs has allowed ‘backyard' operators to undercut legitimate businesses by avoiding compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's laws and Ohio's environmental standards,” the association said.
Because backyard repairers don't pay taxes or workers' benefits, they can charge considerably less than law-abiding shop owners, the ASA said. SB 232 would ensure that all Ohio mechanical shop owners adhere to the same service and safety standards.
The ASA is urging its Ohio members to go to the ASA's TakingTheHill legislative website to send letters to their state representatives in support of SB 232.