Auto Body Association of Rhode Island (ABARI) spokesperson, attorney Jina Petrarca-Karampetsos, explains the state’s move to designate Class A and Class B shops.

This spring, Rhode Island will begin to fully implement its new, two-tiered collision repair business licensing program, in which body shops will be designated as either Class A or Class B businesses.

The law, which passed during last summer’s legislative sessions, was backed heavily by the Auto Body Association of Rhode Island (ABARI). The organization’s spokesperson, attorney Jina Petrarca-Karampetsos, grew up in her father’s Rhode Island collision business, Providence Auto Body, and was one of the guiding forces in getting the legislation passed. She explains the new regulation, why it exists, and why it could serve as an example for a potential solution for the rest of the industry.