The California Automotive Wholesalers’ Association (CAWA) held two private meetings with key California legislators who sit on critical policy committee’s in the state legislature – Assemblyman John Perez of Los Angeles and Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries of Riverside — to highlight critical legislative and regulatory issues the association is actively working for its members.

CAWA Board members Mary Davis, NGK Sparkplugs, and Eric Mezger of Viking Auto Supply in Vacaville along with member Sam Cracraft of Sacramento TBA and CAWA’s government affairs team met with Perez and Jeffries to introduce them to CAWA and discuss important legislative and regulatory issues impacting the automotive aftermarket and business industries in California.

Perez, D-46, a new legislator and member of both the Assembly Transportation and Business and Professions Committee, two key committees that CAWA related issues move through, was receptive to automotive aftermarket issues including attempts by manufacturers to lock out the independent aftermarket from critical tools and information necessary to repair consumers’ vehicles, CAWA reports

Jeffries, R-66, Vice Chair of the powerful Assembly Transportation Committee, also was receptive to hearing about important issues like skyrocketing costs of providing health care for employees, increased need for career and technical training programs and actions by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to target the transportation sector in its effort to implement AB 32 regulations.

“Having the opportunity to talk in a personal setting with members of the state Legislature is an extremely valuable feature of our proactive and growing government affairs program in all three states we represent,” says Rodney Pierini, president and CEO, CAWA. “CAWA works to educate lawmakers about the automotive aftermarket at every opportunity and takes pleasure in finding legislators like John Perez and Kevin Jeffries who give consideration to the aftermarket perspective as they vote on bills that directly impact CAWA members businesses.”

For more information about CAWA, visit www.cawa.org.