Legislation impacting auto glass repair and replacement business practices is not going forward, would have required shops to obtain insurance claim numbers
Garrisonville, Va.—Due to testimony from the Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC) and others in the auto glass industry, Connecticut legislation impacting auto glass repair and replacement business practices is not going forward.
HB 5262 was introduced on Feb. 20 and addresses insurance regulations for multiple sectors, including auto glass. If passed, AGSC stated in a news release that the bill would have required the Connecticut Insurance Commissioner to review the National Council of Insurance Legislators’ (NCOIL) model auto glass legislation, which, among other regulations, requires shops to obtain an insurance claim number from customers before officially accepting a job.
John Wisniewski, owner of the Hartford, Connecticut-based AGSC-registered member company Payless Auto Glass, helped spearhead testimony from multiple industry members, including AGSC.
“Connecticut legislators told me that they realized almost immediately that this bill would not benefit many in the state based on the number of people who spoke against it,” said Wisniewski. “Lawmakers like hearing from associations, so testimonies from AGSC and the Connecticut Glass Dealers’ Association were particularly valuable.”
Wisniewski added that AGSC’s authority on proper auto glass installation practices provides legislators with valuable background information.
Josh Schwermer, chair of the AGSC public affairs committee and chief technical officer of Omega EDI, testified on AGSC’s behalf. “AGSC monitors all auto glass legislation closely,” he said. “The association prioritizes advocating for its members in all 50 states and the industry at large. That includes speaking up about legislation that could harm auto glass repair and replacement shops, like the Connecticut bill.”
Despite this victory, Wisniewski stated that Connecticut auto glass companies should remain vigilant and prepare to offer additional testimony. “No bill is truly dead until the end of a legislative session.”
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