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H 4777

Study Order

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

MA House study order empowers the Financial Services Committee to study auto insurance issues during a recess and report findings plus draft legislation by Dec 31, 2026.

Discharged to the committee on House Rules
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Bill Summary · H 4777

Massachusetts H.4777 — Study Order Summary

Overview

H.4777 is a House study order that directs the Massachusetts House to empower the Committee on Financial Services to investigate a set of automobile insurance-related issues referenced in several companion bills. The committee is authorized to study these topics during a recess and must report findings and proposed legislation by the end of 2026.

Purpose and Scope

  • Purpose: To examine a range of auto insurance topics and related regulatory questions and to determine recommended policy options and legislation to address them.
  • Scope: The study covers the following referenced bills (House numbers in the petition accompanying H.4777):
    • 1086, 1124, 1152, 1166, 1195, 1200, 1219, 1220, 1263, 1265, 1280
  • Topics included in the referenced bills (as implied by the petition): rebates for safe driving, auto insurance premiums, licensure of motor vehicle damage appraisers, regulation of motor vehicle rentals, surcharges and electronic charges related to auto insurance, disparities in premium pricing (racial and socioeconomic inequities), auto insurance costs for low- and moderate-income communities, and coverage related to autonomous vehicle testing/deployment and school zone safety protocols.

Key Provisions

  • Authorization: The Committee on Financial Services is authorized to sit during a recess of the General Court to study the listed documents.
  • Report and Draft Legislation: The committee must report its findings, recommendations, and drafts of any necessary legislation to carry recommendations into effect, by filing with the Clerk of the House.
  • Timing: The required report is due no later than December 31, 2026.

Timeline and Procedural Notes

  • Introduction: December 1, 2025.
  • Committee action: Reported by the Committee on Financial Services (with accompanying references to the listed House numbers) and favorably reported.
  • Next steps: Discharged to the Committee on House Rules for further handling; the bill is framed as an investigative study rather than immediate policy change.
  • Outcome sought: A structured set of recommendations and potential bill drafts to address the study findings.

Potential Impacts and Beneficiaries

  • Impacts depend on the study's findings and subsequent legislation. Possible effects include changes to auto insurance pricing practices, rebates or incentives for safe driving, licensing and regulatory standards for insurers and appraisers, treatment of surcharges and electronic charges, and policy guidance related to autonomous vehicle testing and school-zone safety.
  • Beneficiaries could include consumers (through fairer pricing and protections), insurance providers and lenders (through clarified standards), rental car operators, appraisers, and autonomous-vehicle programs.

Notes

  • This is a procedural, non-substantive bill aimed at informing future legislation. The substantive policy changes would emerge if the committee’s recommendations lead to drafted bills.

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

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