The Legislature finds the following:

(1) Thousands of California automobile owners each year require repair of their vehicles as a result of collision or other damage.

(2) California automobile owners are suffering direct and indirect harm through unsafe, improper, incompetent, and fraudulent auto body repairs.

(3) There is a lack of proper training and equipment that auto body repair shops need to meet the demands of the highly evolved and sophisticated automobile manufacturing industry.

(4) California has no minimum standards or requirements for auto body repair shops.

(5) Existing laws currently regulating the auto body industry could be strengthened.

(6) There is a compelling need to increase competency and standards for the auto body repair industry.

(Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 445, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1996.)