A state legislative committee has given an early victory to legislation that would entitle independent repair shops the same access as new car dealers to diagnostic repair information needed to repair new model cars.

The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure voted to report out the bill, which will now be heard before the Ways and Means Committee.

The bill is co-sponsored by state Rep. Vincent A. Pedone, D-Worcester, and state Sen Mark Montigny, D-New Bedford.

The bill has been backed strongly by repair shop owners, who say some repair codes and other key information needed to fix increasingly sophisticated automobiles are hard to get, or in some cases is unavailable.

Auto manufacturers, who have opposed the legislation, say the information is already available through technological databases. A key proponent of the legislation has been Stan Morin, who manages the New England Tire chain of repair centers and who is an advocate for the Massachusetts Alliance of Automotive Service Providers.

"We have been clear from the beginning of this process that what we want - and what consumers want - is repair and diagnostic information that many of these manufacturers are selectively witholding," Morin said.

Morin rejected claims by automakers that the bill would unlock access to the companies' trade secrets.

Also backing the bill are the New England Service Station and Automotive Repair Association, the Massachusetts Auto Body Association and the Central Massachusetts Auto Rebuilders Association.