A little over a year ago, Maine residents voted overwhelmingly (83 percent) to pass a new state right to repair law designed to make auto repairs easier and more affordable. More specific…
they being the automotive industry or the citizens who voted overwhelmingly for it?
If the automotive industry wins (unlikely as they are arguing a fight that the Attorney General has failed to classify an independent entity, which the AG can somewhat easily remedy), I plan to reach out to my states representatives (I’m sure they are getting REALLY sick of me because I’m already sending almost weekly emails due to other issues with the state), in hopes that they can remedy the bill back into something that the people voted for, and not something that big business voted for.
If the auto industry loses: I plan to wait a bit for the implementation of the law to go into effect, then I plan to download the tools given for my current car that the automotive industry is required to provide. If said tools are not available I intend to report the company as non-compliant. These tools are not considered unreasonable by any means, and /should/ already be available for mechanics as part of their every day working of the vehicles. There is zero reason for diagnostic tools for a vehicle I own to be locked behind either a paywall or be restricted to only licensed techs. That is against right to repair as a whole.
Honestly though, what is likely to happen is, the enforcement of the law will be paused until the AG can place an independent party responsible, and then they will revisit the issue when the automotive companies inevitably refuse to assign a person to the party. Which will then go into a whole different can of worms with state fines to the companies refusing to be compliant.
And do what if they inevitably win?
they being the automotive industry or the citizens who voted overwhelmingly for it?
If the automotive industry wins (unlikely as they are arguing a fight that the Attorney General has failed to classify an independent entity, which the AG can somewhat easily remedy), I plan to reach out to my states representatives (I’m sure they are getting REALLY sick of me because I’m already sending almost weekly emails due to other issues with the state), in hopes that they can remedy the bill back into something that the people voted for, and not something that big business voted for.
If the auto industry loses: I plan to wait a bit for the implementation of the law to go into effect, then I plan to download the tools given for my current car that the automotive industry is required to provide. If said tools are not available I intend to report the company as non-compliant. These tools are not considered unreasonable by any means, and /should/ already be available for mechanics as part of their every day working of the vehicles. There is zero reason for diagnostic tools for a vehicle I own to be locked behind either a paywall or be restricted to only licensed techs. That is against right to repair as a whole.
Honestly though, what is likely to happen is, the enforcement of the law will be paused until the AG can place an independent party responsible, and then they will revisit the issue when the automotive companies inevitably refuse to assign a person to the party. Which will then go into a whole different can of worms with state fines to the companies refusing to be compliant.
You know we can’t talk about that. It’s like Bruno.