Judge Delays Massachusetts Right to Repair Decision for 6th Time

July 1, 2022—The decide overseeing the authorized problem to Massachusetts’ voter-approved Proper to Restore legislation has delayed his choice for a sixth time.

In line with a information launch from the Auto Care Affiliation, Decide Douglas Woodlock cited “the necessity to think about totally the implications of the long-anticipated choice” and “unexpected and unforeseeable scheduling problems encountered previously a number of weeks coming upon the prolonged vacation weekend” as the primary causes for the delay.

Per the discharge, this delay is anticipated to be a brief one. 

Massachusetts’ Proper to Restore legislation has been in limbo ever since state voters overwhelmingly permitted it—75 p.c sure to 25 p.c no—in the course of the November 2020 election. 

A coalition made up of greater than 30 automakers referred to as the Alliance for Automotive Innovation filed a lawsuit towards the Massachusetts Lawyer Common shortly after the vote to problem the brand new legislation. The coalition cited “cybersecurity considerations, inadequate time to adjust to the brand new knowledge entry necessities and their rivalry that the poll initiative is preempted by federal legislation” per the ACA information launch.

The preliminary trial was held June 2021, and shortly after it concluded Decide Woodlock stated he hoped to achieve a call quickly. Nevertheless, greater than a 12 months has handed, and the decide has issued six delays. 

Aaron Lowe, senior vp of presidency and regulatory affairs for the ACA, informed ADAPT Automotive in an interview in Could that the method will more than likely be dragged out much more as soon as Decide Woodlock comes to a decision, as whoever loses will more than likely file an attraction.

“The extra this decide delays truly issuing a verdict, the longer we go with out truly addressing this entire subject of information, entry and compliance,” Lowe stated. “It’s a loss finally for the automotive homeowners within the state of Massachusetts, nevertheless it’s a loss for the aftermarket as nicely.”