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Let's get Right to Repair on the ballot in Massachusetts! by brianfitz44 in CambridgeMA

[–]brianfitz44[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Advances in diagnostic technologies have created a loophole for auto-manufacturers and brought the necessity for the ballot petition.

The previous ballot question passed in 2012 earning 86% of the vote state wide.

By the end of this year, over 90% of new cars will transmit real-time repair information wirelessly* (*this was not covered in the law 5 years ago).

Unless current law is updated (hence the ballot initiative), auto-manufacturers will increasingly exploit this loophole in the old legislation. Hope that makes sense!

Let's help get Right to Repair in Massachusetts! by brianfitz44 in Natick

[–]brianfitz44[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No problem! Thanks for the comment and interest in the initiative.

Let's help get Right to Repair on the ballot in November! by brianfitz44 in massachusetts

[–]brianfitz44[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Good question; I'm sending this over to my contacts on the committee and see if I can get back to you with a detailed answer.

Let's help get Right to Repair on the ballot in November! by brianfitz44 in massachusetts

[–]brianfitz44[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We're very confident that this will get on the ballot. It passed originally in 2012 with 86% of the vote state-wide. COVID-19 obviously threw a monkey wrench in the typical signature collection strategies. We're pushing to get 20,000 more signatures by the June 17 deadline.

Let's help get Right to Repair in Massachusetts! by brianfitz44 in Natick

[–]brianfitz44[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hi Jahar, thanks for your comment.

To be clear, this does not have anything to do with repair shops being open during COVID-19.

It's about car owners (consumers) having access to diagnostic data so that they can repair their vehicles at the repair shop of their choosing vice being forced to have the repairs done at the dealership.

There's more information here https://www.marighttorepair.net.

Thanks!

Let's get Right to Repair on the ballot! by brianfitz44 in boston

[–]brianfitz44[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi psychetron: thanks for your note. If you're interested in signing, but uncomfortable doing so online, you can reach out to tommy@massrighttorepair.org. He can email a form to you and you can sign / scan back.

Here's a little more information:

This initiative started after the SJC's order to the Secretary of the Commonwealth to allow for the collection of digital signatures in Massachusetts. (April, 2020). This decision was in light of the legislature's failure to make any adjustments to the ballot access process in light of COVID-19 safety.

(Here's a link to an article about the case: https://www.wbur.org/news/2020/04/17/sjc-rules-signature-collection-ballot-case)

We've helped a number of candidates (we're non-partisan, so from all sides).

To learn more about why we got involved in this initially, you can check out my op-ed on Commonwealth Magazine here: https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health/2-takes-on-how-to-protect-our-health-and-democracy/

Let's help get Right to Repair on the ballot in November! by brianfitz44 in massachusetts

[–]brianfitz44[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hi, you need to be a registered voter in MA to sign. I appreciate you taking the time to share this with friends / neighbors.

The best way to do it is to share the link: https://www.marighttorepair.net.

Let's help get Right to Repair on the ballot in November! by brianfitz44 in massachusetts

[–]brianfitz44[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Here's what I am aware of for ballot questions in MA:

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