A Heads Up for Senate Bill 617

To: All OSAR and Non-OSAR Member Auto Body Shop Owners

An OSAR member received a newsletter (see copy below) from a Portland body shop – arguably the largest DRP shop in Oregon – urging others to call Oregon State Senate Consumer Protection committee members (regarding SB 617) to let them know that body shops need insurers and their contracts, not to mention drive-in claim centers in their shops to correctly fix cars . . . that body shops need insurers to guarantee repairs AND to provide customer satisfaction.

How embarrassing!

This company’s newsletter is saying that body shops need the insurer to babysit us, tell us how to fix cars and on top of that to keep our customers happy.

Is that true? Do we need insurers to babysit us?

Please do call your Oregon Senators and tell them to vote YES on SB 617.

If you agree with over 88% of all shops and over 64% of contract shops that we, the business owners, can fix cars correctly, guarantee our own work and provide customer service and satisfaction, please call these Senators and ask them to vote YES on Senate Bill 617.

Sen. Larry George (R), 503.986.1713
 Sen. Ginny Burdick (D), 503.986.1718
 Sen. Diane Rosenbaum (D), 503.986.1721
 Sen. Fred Girod (R), 503.986.1709
 Sen. Suzanne Bonamici (D), 503.986.1717

Help us put the customer back in the driver’s seat and bring competition back into Oregon’s auto body industry.

Here's a suggestion on what to say:

"This is ‘Your Name' I'm from ‘Your city or town's name' I am calling today to ask Senator one of the names above to support Senate Bill 617, the auto repair consumer protection bill which is currently before the Senate Consumer Protection and Public Affairs Committee. This is a good bill for Oregon consumers, and I urge the Senator to support the bill. Thank you."

Reminders when making the calls:

• More than likely when you make the call you will get a senator's staff person. That's perfectly fine. Just say what you want to say to that person. The staffer will pass on your request to the senator.
• Be polite, to the point and thank at person for taking the message for the Senator.
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