The Houston City Council is scheduled
to consider a proposed ordinance to
regulate the automotive repair and
collision industry at an upcoming city
council meeting. The
Automotive Service Association
(ASA) contacted the mayor and council
members asking that they address a
number of concerns with the proposed
ordinance.
Although the proposed ordinance
has gone through multiple revisions,
ASA is concerned that there are still
significant issues with the ordinance.
Consumers and repairers were not
consulted during the development of the
draft ordinance. The lack of
stakeholder involvement in drafting the
ordinance has ensured that several
remaining provisions are detrimental to
repairers and consumers.
ASA asked the mayor and
council, in December, to delay further
action on the proposed ordinance until
stakeholders, both public and private,
can meet and agree to the provisions
that impact consumers and small
businesses in Houston. These
stakeholder meetings with ASA members
have not occurred to date.
Due to the lack of stakeholder
involvement and no resolution to
remaining issues important to
independent repairers, ASA asks
repairers and consumers to contact the
mayor and city council requesting that
they oppose the proposed Automotive
Shop Licensing Ordinance.
The Automotive Service
Association’s Houston chapter has been
active in a grassroots effort since
last summer, contacting Houston Mayor
Annise D. Parker and all members of the
City Council, recommending changes to
Section 8 of the current proposed
Automotive Repair Shop Licensing
Ordinance. While the ordinance has
improved since ASA began working with
the city, ASA believes further changes
are necessary for ASA to be supportive.
ASA’s proposed changes will benefit
consumers and the automotive service
industry.
The ordinance is scheduled to
be voted on by the Houston City Council
on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. ASA
encourages the city council to defeat
the ordinance and replace it with an
ordinance that includes more consumer
and industry input.
To send a letter to the city
council in opposition to the ordinance
– and to view information regarding
ASA’s grassroots effort, including the
letter sent to the mayor and Houston
City Council members – visit ASA’s
legislative website at www.TakingTheHill.com
.
For additional information
about ASA, including past news
releases, go to www.ASAshop.org.
