AUGUSTA — The Senate voted Tuesday to sustain Gov. Janet Mills’ veto of a bill to change Maine’s right to repair law, keeping her record of successful vetoes intact.
Mills said she vetoed the bill after hearing from hundreds of local repair shops concerned about a provision that would have eliminated the requirement for auto manufacturers to provide diagnostic information through a standardized system.
Mills urged lawmakers to send her another bill without the controversial provision.
Last week, the House of Representatives voted narrowly to override Mills’ decision to nix the bill. But the upper chamber voted with Mills 24-10, sustaining her veto.
Mills, who has had Democratic majorities in the House and Senate since she became governor in 2019, has vetoed 55 bills. None of her vetoes has been overridden.
Maine’s automotive right to repair law was supported by 84% of the electorate in 2023. It was billed as a way to keep auto repairs more affordable, and to help sustain small, independent repair shops.
As technology becomes more embedded in vehicles, consumers are increasingly being referred to authorized dealerships for repairs. These dealerships sometimes charge more for fixes than independent repair shops.
Having a standardized system for telematics, which is diagnostic data that is transmitted wirelessly, is an essential part of the law, advocates say. It prevents manufacturers from using proprietary systems that drive up costs.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Tiffany Roberts, D-South Berwick, would have eliminated a requirement for a standardized system for telematic data. It would have given manufacturers more control over the sharing of that information.
The bill would also have established a Motor Vehicle Right-To-Repair Commission, which would have helped resolve disputes between manufacturers and independent repair shops.
The creation of that commission and its advisory role to the attorney general was unanimously recommended by a working group that included manufacturers and independent repair shops.
“The governor continues to support enactment of the unanimous recommendations of the attorney general’s working group,” spokesperson Ben Goodman said in an email Tuesday.
