Bill seeks to reduce collision repair costs by limiting the length of time vehicle manufacturer exterior parts would be protected from competition.
The Save Money on Auto Repair Transportation (SMART) Act was reintroduced yesterday in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill proposes to reduce the length of time exterior collision repair parts are protected by design patents to 30 months (2.5 years) from when they are first made available to sale from the current 14 years under existing design patent law.
The legislation had been introduced in 2021 during the previous session of Congress.
The bill specifically exempts
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