WASHINGTON (Nov. 21, 2013) — The Massachusetts and New Jersey state legislatures have acted to move their versions of the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act forward.
The Massachusetts Assembly passed H3757 under a suspension of the rules Nov. 13, and referred it the next day to the Massachusetts Senate Committee on Ways and Means.
H3757 requires vehicle manufacturers doing business in Massachusetts to make available for sale to vehicle owners and independent repair shops the same repair and diagnostic information they make available to their dealers, beginning with vehicles for model year 2002.
Starting with model year 2018, it also requires auto makers to provide access to their diagnostic and repair information systems to any owner or repair shop with an off-the-shelf personal computer.
The Massachusetts bill is a reconciliation bill between the Right to Repair bill passed by the Massachusetts legislature July 31, 2012, and the more strongly worded measure passed by a Massachusetts voter referendum in November 2012 with 86 percent of the vote.
The legislature's bill was passed four weeks too late to make a deadline to allow withdrawal of the ballot measure.
The Consumer Affairs Committee of the New Jersey Assembly passed A4336 on Nov. 18 by a 3-1 vote, sending the bill to the full assembly.
A4336 also would require auto makers to offer repair and diagnostic information on model year 2002-and-later vehicles to owners and independent repair shops, and require easy access to diagnostic and repair information systems by model year 2018.