Right to Repair Legislation: Support Grows, Battle Continues

Independent repair shops continue to face growing restrictions on what data they can access when working on vehicles. As more businesses feel the burden growing with increasingly digitized cars, groups like the Auto Care Association have been fighting to make automotive repair data accessible by law to independent repairers.

Lisa Foshee, senior vice president of government affairs and general counsel for the Auto Care Association, breaks down the progress being made for Right to Repair.

The REPAIR Act

The REPAIR Act—a federal bill that would enable independent repairers to have access to the data they need—has continued to gain momentum, with 44 bipartisan sponsors in the House and eight sponsors in the Senate. Prior to 2025, the REPAIR Act was only in the House. With its introduction in the Senate last year, it’s brought even more opportunities for the legislation to advance.

“That was a huge landmark for the industry, to have it introduced in both chambers, and to continue to see the bipartisan support for it in both chambers,” Foshee says. “Those are the two things that we’re really proud of. Proud of the legislation that, as I said, just makes sense to both sides of the aisle.”

This year brings with it an opportunity for the REPAIR Act to move forward via the safety title of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act. Congress will need to pass this bill in order to continue authorizing funding for highways and infrastructure, and ACA sees something like the REPAIR Act as something that would fit well with what all the bill entails.

“We’re looking at all opportunities to proceed in that manner and are working closely with the Energy and Commerce Committee on the House side in particular to try to move the bill forward,” adds Foshee.

Most recently, this January, Auto Care Association President and CEO Bill Hanvey provided testimony to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade that discussed legislation to support both small businesses and consumers in the auto repair sector.

As shared in a Jan. 14 press release, ACA recognized Chairman Bilirakis, R-Fla.-12, Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill.-9, and members of the subcommittee for considering bipartisan solutions to the increasing complexity of vehicles, and how it impacts consumer costs and safety.

“Today’s vehicles are computers on wheels,” Hanvey said. “When vehicle owners and

independent repairers are locked out of that data, repairs are delayed, costs increase, and safety can be compromised.”

Key points were hit in the testimony, such as how a growing number of independent shops are unable to perform basic repairs, like battery replacements or windshield wiper changes, which are becoming locked behind dealer-only codes. This forces drivers back onto the road and into franchised dealerships, where repair costs are, on average, 36% higher, and wait times significantly longer.

Hanvey also highlighted how independent auto shops are critical for local communities. Independent shops perform more than 70% of out-of-warranty repairs nationwide, in addition to playing a huge role in local economies, workforce development, and vehicle uptime for working families and commercial fleets.

In his testimony, Hanvey pushed for the REPAIR Act to be included in the safety title of the upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act.

“The REPAIR Act is pro-consumer, pro-safety, and pro-competition,” Hanvey said. “It simply ensures that vehicle owners can access the repair and maintenance data necessary to keep their vehicles safe and on the road—just as they always have.”

The REPAIR Act has encountered opposition, though. In February 2025, the Automotive Service Association, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists, and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation proposed their own legislation surrounding vehicle data access: the Safety as First Emphasis, or SAFE, Repair Act.

In a letter to Congress, the groups outlined their proposal, which was meant to build upon a 2014 national agreement that independent repairers may have access to the same data made available to dealers.

Some features of the bill included an extension of the same recall and safety protections for OEM parts to customers using non-OEM parts; requiring disclosure of prior alterations or repairs on a used vehicle; and support for periodic safety inspection and post-collision inspection programs.

“While ... existing frameworks have created a thriving and competitive repair marketplace, we understand the desire for a federal legislative solution that addresses evolving consumer expectations and technological advancements,” wrote the coalition in its letter. “That’s why our three organizations have come together to propose a new path forward—one that builds on existing protections while introducing additional measures to prioritize consumer safety and choice.”

While the concept has not become an actual bill, it’s been received as a challenge to the REPAIR Act by Right to Repair advocates.

“They have not had any member of Congress agree to introduce that concept as a piece of legislation,” Foshee says. “And I think that that is really telling, because—in my view—it shows the strength of the REPAIR Act. It shows the strength of the coalition of folks we have supporting the REPAIR Act, and it shows the common-sense approach that Dr. Dunn has taken in drafting the REPAIR Act, because the automakers can’t get anyone to introduce their SAFE Repair Act.” 

Maine, Massachusetts: Right to Repair on a State Level

As the fight wages on at a federal level for Right to Repair, states like Maine have been working hard to enact their own legislation, and facing their own set of obstacles. Just this past January, Maine Gov. Janet Mills vetoed a bill that would have limited Right to Repair legislation in the state. 

Since Right to Repair was passed by 84% of Maine voters in 2023, it’s faced challenges—one of which being a bill that would have allowed automotive manufacturers to dictate how shops can access telemetric data. That was how Gov. Mills described the proposed bill, arguing that it would have been harmful for independent repair shops in the state, according to a report from CBS 13 News in Portland, Maine. It was the one bill she vetoed recently among the total 61 she addressed.

“The Auto Care Association applauds Governor Janet Mills for her thoughtful action today to uphold the will of Maine voters and protect the principles of automotive right to repair,” Foshee says. “Governor Mills’ action respects the expressed will of Maine voters and the vital role of independent repairers in the state’s economy.”

Massachusetts was also challenged by automakers in court last year over its own Right to Repair legislation, but was met with a court decision upholding the law. This prompted the automakers to appeal the decision with the First Circuit Court of Appeals. Since that time, there has been briefings by both the alliance representing the automakers, the Attorney General’s Office of Massachusetts, and then Auto Care Association, which filed an amicus brief in support of Right to Repair. A final brief was also filed by the alliance representing automakers on Nov. 24.

Now, oral arguments are expected to be scheduled in the first to second quarter of 2026, with a decision to follow soon after on whether the law remains in place or not. ACA is confident the law will prevail, but it has made it more difficult to begin enforcing it, which Foshee hopes will start happening around summer of 2026.

“While the law is in effect, there has definitely been a chilling effect on enforcement because of these pending lawsuits,” Foshee explains. 

2026: The Year To Get Involved

There’s much in store for 2026 when it comes to advancing Right to Repair, both on a state and federal level. For those looking to support the independent auto repair industry on a legislative level, ACA is always looking for more people to get involved with advocacy efforts—especially with roughly six months left to get the bill through Congress. Starting this year, ACA will need all hands on deck to help write letters to their representatives, advocating for the REPAIR Act.

“The industry will start to see an urgent ask for letter generation. We have a QR code that folks fill out, and it sends letters to their congressional representatives, both on the House side and the Senate side. And those letters are powerful, and they matter,” Foshee says. “In terms of advocacy, that is where we need everybody. … We need everybody to participate in that process of reaching out consistently to their elected officials and say, ‘We need you to get this done’.”