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H 1153

An Act requiring licensed auto insurance damage appraisers to provide safety notices to the owners of damaged motor vehicles

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Mike Finn

Licensed auto damage appraisers must give a standardized safety/emissions notice to owners when a damaged vehicle may not meet standards, guiding repair and re-inspection.

Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · H 1153

Bill Summary: H.1153 – An Act requiring licensed auto insurance damage appraisers to provide safety notices to the owners of damaged motor vehicles

Overview

  • Purpose: To require licensed auto insurance damage appraisers to provide a standardized safety notice to owners when a damaged vehicle no longer meets certain safety or emissions standards.
  • Status: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.
  • Introduction and timeline: Introduced February 27, 2025. Related actions include a hearing scheduled May 27, 2025, and subsequent committee actions culminating in a favorable report and referral to Ways and Means (with a later update indicating a favorable report and referral on September 8, 2025). The bill is part of the 2025-2026 legislative session.
  • Related bill: HD 1922 (the current bill replaces or supersedes prior similar matters; a similar matter was filed in 2023-2024 as House Bill 1008).

What the bill would do

  • Require notices: Mandates that whenever a licensed auto damage appraiser determines a vehicle is damaged to the extent that it may fail safety standards or emissions standards, the appraiser must provide a notice to the vehicle owner.
  • Source and format of notice: The notice must be in a format and contain information prescribed by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles (RMV).
  • Content of notice: The notice would inform the owner that the vehicle no longer meets the applicable safety or emissions standards and instruct the owner to repair the vehicle so it can pass safety and emissions standards and obtain a new certificate of inspection.
  • Timelines for guidelines: The RMV must periodically issue, at least annually, specific guidelines on the safety or emissions items that require the notice and publish these guidelines in the Massachusetts Register.
  • Rulemaking and enforcement: The RMV must establish rules and regulations under Chapter 30A to implement and enforce the new requirement.

Key provisions (Section-by-section)

  • Section 1: Amends Section 8G of Chapter 26 by replacing the final paragraph with a new requirement:
    • If a licensed appraiser (employed by a repair shop, employed by a licensed insurer, or an independent appraiser) determines a vehicle is damaged to the point it may not meet RMV safety standards (Section 7A, Chapter 90) or DEP-emission standards (Section 142M, Chapter 111), the appraiser must provide the prescribed safety/emissions notice to the vehicle owner.
    • The notice directs the owner to repair the vehicle to meet safety and emission standards and to obtain a new certificate of inspection.
    • RMV must issue annual or more frequent guidelines on items that require the notice and publish them in the Massachusetts Register.
    • RMV must establish implementing and enforcement regulations under Chapter 30A.
  • Section 2: Effective date: The act takes effect upon passage.

Who would be affected

  • Vehicle owners with damaged vehicles assessed by licensed auto damage appraisers.
  • Licensed auto insurance damage appraisers (whether employed by repair shops, insurers, or acting independently).
  • Registered motor vehicle repair shops, insurers, and independent appraisers involved in damage assessments.
  • The RMV, which would issue guidelines and oversee implementation and enforcement.
  • The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) as it relates to emission standards referenced in the notice.

Implementation and procedural notes

  • The RMV would issue specific notice guidelines annually and publish them in the Massachusetts Register.
  • The RMV would promulgate implementing regulations under Chapter 30A.
  • The act would take effect as soon as it is enacted (no separate phase-in period provided).

Potential impact and considerations

  • Consumer clarity: Provides vehicle owners with a clear, standardized warning and required actions when a vehicle no longer meets safety or emission standards.
  • Compliance burden: Adds a new, formal notification obligation for appraisers, potentially affecting workflows and documentation.
  • Safety and emissions: Aims to improve ongoing compliance by encouraging timely repairs and re-inspection.
  • Administrative process: Increases RMV rulemaking responsibilities and reliance on published guidelines.
  • Enforcement: New regulatory framework under Chapter 30A for implementation and enforcement.

Related material

  • Similar matter previously filed in the 2023-2024 session (House Bill 1008).
  • HD 1922 is listed as a related or replacing measure.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to a specific audience (e.g., policymakers, insurers, consumer advocates) or add a brief comparison to the prior related bill (HD 1008) for context.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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