An Act reforming labor rates paid by insurance companies to auto repairers in the Commonwealth

This bill creates a new advisory board to study and recommend fair labor rates for auto repair shops in Massachusetts. The board will include representatives from insurance companies, repair shops, vocational schools, and consumer groups to conduct a biennial survey of labor costs and regional data. Based on this research, the insurance commissioner will establish a minimum hourly rate that insurers must pay for vehicle repairs, with a floor of $55 per hour. Additionally, the bill ensures that these new labor rates are excluded from certain state programs designed to control insurance costs.