The Independent Glass Association is taking action!

California SB 988:
What You Need to Know and Why You Should Care

California Assembly Opposition

IGA Advocacy in Action

The Independent Glass Association (IGA) is actively monitoring and opposing California SB 988, a bill based on a national legislative template promoted by large insurance-aligned interests, including Safelite AutoGlass and its partners. While the bill is being framed as a consumer-protection and anti-fraud measure, its current language would harm independent auto glass shops and limit consumer choice without evidence of the widespread fraud being claimed.

The IGA supports fair, transparent auto glass claims practices, but not at the expense of competition, consumer rights, or small businesses.

Why This Matters to Independent Glass Shops

For independent auto glass shops, SB 988 is not an abstract policy debate, it directly affects whether a shop can operate efficiently, get paid fairly, and continue serving customers without interference.

Independent shops do not have call centers, national claims contracts, or vertically integrated insurance relationships. They rely on straightforward, lawful processes that allow them to perform repairs, submit claims, and receive payment without forcing consumers into the middle of disputes with their insurer. SB 988 disrupts that balance.

If SB 988 passes as written, independent shops will be placed at a significant disadvantage. Shops may be required to collect full payment from the customer up front, wait weeks or months for reimbursement, or chase down insurers for payment that should have been handled directly. Larger, insurer-aligned networks are insulated from these impacts, independent shops are not.

Key concerns for shops include:
  • Elimination or severe restriction of Assignment of Benefits (AOB)
  • Increased steering power for insurers and their affiliated networks
  • Administrative burdens that disproportionately impact small businesses.
  • Reduced payment certainty and delayed reimbursements.

 

What Consumers Should Know

IGA supports transparency and safety. Consumers deserve clear information about their vehicle repairs, especially when advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are involved. Reduced payment certainty and delayed reimbursements

Consumers should understand that:
  • Less freedom to choose your repair shop
  • More out-of-pocket hassle.
  • More insurer control over repairs.
  • Calibration may be required after windshield replacement, but you choose who performs that service.
  • No proven benefit to consumers.
Consumers deserve transparency, choice, and convenience, not a system designed to benefit insurance-aligned repair networks.

Support IGA Advocacy

Defend Independent Glass: Amend SB 988 and Support the Future of Auto Glass in California

Step 1: Join the IGA Today

Step 1: Membership strengthens our collective voice and directly supports the fight to protect independent glass shops with the work the IGA is doing on these bills.

Join the Independent Glass Association

 

Step 2: Donate to the Advocacy Program

The IGA cannot support SB 988 as written

While we support reasonable measures that promote transparency and accountability, this bill must be amended before it can be considered fair.

At a minimum, SB 988 must be amended to:
  • Preserve lawful Assignment of Benefits (AOB) when voluntarily executed by the consumer.
  • Prevent insurer steering and coercive referral practices.
  • Ensure prompt, fair payment to repairers without added consumer burden.
  • Maintain a level playing field between independent shops and insurer-owned or affiliated networks.
  • Rely on verified data, not unsubstantiated fraud claims.
The IGA is actively challenging the false and misleading claims of widespread auto glass fraud being used to justify this legislation.

What Happens Next

SB 988 has now passed the California Senate and has moved to the Assembly. The bill is currently listed as "In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk." This means it has been formally received by the Assembly but has not yet been assigned to an Assembly committee.

That does not mean the industry should wait. This is the moment when the next phase of the fight begins. Before SB 988 is heard in an Assembly committee, lawmakers and staff will already be hearing from the bill's supporters, including the well-funded interests promoting this legislation as a consumer protection measure and a response to alleged fraud in the auto glass market.

 

The Independent Glass Association will continue to oppose SB 988 unless it is amended. Once the bill is assigned to committee, the IGA intends to be present and on the record. We will submit written opposition, testify when the opportunity is available, and clearly explain to Assembly lawmakers how this bill, as written, would harm independent auto glass shops, restrict consumer choice, and give insurers and third-party administrators even more control over the glass claims process.
But the Assembly needs to hear from California shops now. Independent shops cannot afford to stay silent while the narrative is being shaped. Legislators need to hear directly from the businesses that perform these repairs every day, serve California consumers, and understand the real-world impact this bill would have if it becomes law without major amendments.

This page will be updated as these bills move through the legislative process. Check back frequently for hearing dates, testimony resources, and action alerts.