Auto Glass Safety Legislation Introduced in Massachusetts and Virginia
Legislation that would create state auto glass safety standards was introduced in the Massachusetts legislature and deferred in Virginia legislature in early January. The Auto Glass Safety Council strongly supports both bills.
The Massachusetts and Virginia bills are similar to auto glass safety legislation enacted in Maryland in 2021. In that state, the State Motor Vehicle Administration is in the process of developing auto glass safety regulations that substantially incorporate the present Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standard (AGRSS). Both the Massachusetts and Virginia bills refer to the AGRSS standard as the basis for their proposed new state regulations.
Massachusetts Reps. Josh Cutler and Kathleen LaNatra introduced HD 4724 on January 7, 2022. The bill defines “aftermarket safety glass replacement” as motor vehicle safety glass replacement services that occur after the original installation by a vehicle manufacturer. It directs the state Registrar of motor vehicles to adopt regulations for aftermarket safety glass replacement that:
1.Requires the products and services used to meet or exceed OEM specifications.
2.Requires the use of safety glass that meet ANSI Z26.1 and any applicable federal standards.
3.Meet or exceed the standards and requirements of the Automotive Glass Replacement Safety Standard, developed by the Auto Glass Safety Council under the auspices of the American National Standards Institute.
The Massachusetts legislature in the second year of its two-year legislative cycle.
Virginia Delegate Mark Keam introduced HB 699 on January 12, 2022, the first day of that state’s legislative session. HB 699 directs the Superintendent of the State Police to promulgate regulations regarding the replacement of glass in any vehicle to be “consistent with the standards established by the Auto Glass Safety Council.” On Jan. 26, 2022 the House deferred discussion of HB 699 to next year to allow time for gathering information about the bill’s importance to the auto glass industry.
Virginia legislators are scheduled to meet for just 60 days in 2022.
AGSC Conducts Briefings for Policymakers
As part of the ongoing effort to educate policymakers and advocate for state legislation that incorporates auto glass safety standards, AGSC recently conducted auto glass safety briefings in Maryland and California.
On December 13, 2021, AGSC Member Novus Glass hosted a group of Maryland officials at their North Bethesda, Md., facility. The briefing included a “mock” safety audit, led by AGSC’s outside audit firm, of an actual on-site windshield replacement. The participants included Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo, chairperson of the House Motor Vehicle and Transportation Subcommittee; legislative committee staff; and an official of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.
On December 22, 2021, AGSC conducted a virtual calibration demonstration for several key officials of the California Bureau of Automotive Regulation (BAR). The BAR has recently initiated process to discuss the implementation of state auto glass safety rules.
Jacques Navant, AGSC board member and chair of the AGSC ADAS Committee, and his colleagues at California based Don’s Auto Glass, conducted the demonstration. Several of the BAR participants expressed interest in participating in further in person demonstrations as time, distance and health and safety protocols permit.
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