‘Right to Repair’ approved by Maine voters on Question 4 Zainal Abidin, 22/08/202522/08/2025 The “yes” vote leveled the field so local and small-business mechanics could have access to data that would be restricted to dealerships.MAINE, USA — Maine voters decided “yes” to Question 4, allowing local repair shops and mechanics access to the same data as dealerships.Maine is the sixth state in the US to approve such a measure, likely indicating the start of a wave of support behind similar initiatives.Question 4, a citizen initiative, read as follows on the Maine ballot:Do you want to require vehicle manufacturers to standardize on-board diagnostic systems and provide remote access to those systems and mechanical data to owners and independent repair facilities?A “yes” vote allows all mechanical information about a vehicle to be made available beyond dealerships regarding things like being able to diagnose and repair vehicles along with regular maintenance issues.“By voting yes on Question 4, Mainers have now joined Massachusetts in a growing national movement to update automotive Right to Repair laws for the modern age of connected cars,” Tommy Hickey, director of the Maine Automotive Right to Repair Committee, said Tuesday in a statement. “Automakers are trying to monopolize the market on car and truck repairs but… Continue Reading
Lawmakers move to repeal parts of Maine’s new automotive right to repair law Zainal Abidin, 06/08/2025 Lawmakers gave initial approval Tuesday to a bill that would undo part of Maine’s new automotive right to repair law that was overwhelmingly approved by voters in November.The law, which went into effect last month, requires car manufacturers to share advanced repair data with car owners and independent mechanics through a standardized platform intended to reduce the cost of accessing the information needed to make repairs.Jacob Sirois works on a Ford F150 at Jason’s Auto Service in Hollis this past fall. Sirois has worked at the shop for about a year and has been working on cars for almost 15 years. Brianna Soukup/Staff PhotographerMembers of the Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, however, expressed concerns that the current law puts consumers’ privacy and safety at risk and voted out a bill that would amend it by scrapping the standardized platform.Tuesday’s vote was 7-1, with five of 13 members absent. Those lawmakers will have two days to cast votes, but the outcome won’t change. The bill now goes to the full House and Senate for votes.Some lawmakers and right to reform advocates, who believe that the standardized platform is the most impactful aspect of the… Continue Reading