Massachusetts Right to Repair Law Heads to Ballot

The Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition has collected more than 26,000 additional signatures to ensure it’s initiative of a new Car Repair Choice law reaches the November ballot, according to a press release.

According to the release, the 26,000 signatures add to the 100,000 signatures collected last fall. The 26,000 signatures is double the legal requirement of 13,374. The signatures will be submitted to local clerks in 351 cities and towns by the end of the day today, and then to the Secretary of State by July 1.

The Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition, made up of independent repair shops, auto parts stores, trade associations, consumers, and drivers, said the petition would allow Massachusetts car owners to continue to have access to the repair and diagnostic mechanical information produced by their car, which was a right they earned after voting 86 percent for the existing Right to Repair law in 2012.

In 2020, advancements in vehicle technology have resulted in 90 percent of new cars being equipped to transmit real-time diagnostic and repair information wirelessly to vehicle manufacturers. Restrictions put in place by automakers regarding access to this wireless repair data, threaten the rights that Massachusetts car consumers to get their cars fixed at the independent repair shop of their choosing.