This Tuesday, the Missouri House Special Committee on Innovation and Technology held a hearing on HB 2475. The Right to Repair bill specific to Agriculture was introduced by Rep. Barry Hovis, who opened the hearing on the bill with the same general outline he has given the past several years.
Proponents of the bill were limited to only a couple of individuals representing outside groups with no connection to agriculture. Their comments were outlandish and wholly unsupported by facts.
Testimony in opposition to the bill came from several sources. NAEDA and several dealers lined up to testify in-person at the hearing. Those comments provided a realistic picture of the repair landscape and hit all major talking points. The Missouri Corn Growers testified in opposition as well as the Operating Engineers Union who are a part of the industry coalition against illegal tampering. The Missouri Farm Bureau testified for informational purposes that they support the MOU and would like to see it work rather than legislation.
Overall, the testimony of those opposed was much more persuasive than proponents. As of right now, we have assurance from key members on the committee they will oppose the bill if it comes up for a vote, which is unlikely given there are not enough votes to move the bill out of committee.
A special thanks to the dealers who testified and represented the industry so well – Paul T. Combs from Baker Implement, Brad Nobbe from SN Partners, Craig Murray from Heritage Tractor. Thank you to all the dealers who also submitted written testimony and made calls. The voice of the dealer is what makes the difference.
NAEDA will continue to monitor this bill closely and keep you updated on any changes in the status of the bill. If you have any questions, please contact VP of Government Affairs Eric Wareham at ewareham@naeda.com.
