This Bill passed the House 45-29 and the Senate 19-6.
Libertas Institute supports this bill.
Utah is the only western state to require mandatory safety inspections as a condition of vehicle ownership and use. See the following graphic for which states still retain this program:
Accidents from mechanical safety failures (the reason for the program according to proponents) are rare in Utah; only 3.8% of car accidents occur due to a mechnical error. Improved roads, public education efforts, and the vehicles themselves have minimized accidents; mandatory inspections do not appear to contribute to this rate being so low. And Utah drivers collectively pay over $25 million annually due to this program—money that should be retained for them to use on actual maintenance as needed by their vehicle.
Read more in our recent Public Policy Brief on this issue.
House Bill 265, sponsored by Representative Dan McCay, would repeal this program as has been done in all our neighboring states.
Past attempts to limit this program has seen hoardes of Jiffy Lube mechanics coming to the Capitol in opposition—a clear sign, in our view, that this program serves no valid public purpose, but does serve a private purpose, helping an industry acquire guaranteed customers.
