An Act to protect consumers from hidden car subscription service fees

This Massachusetts bill prohibits car dealers from charging consumers recurring subscription fees for vehicle features that already come with the necessary hardware and function without ongoing costs to the manufacturer. The law defines these prohibited services as those utilizing components installed at the time of purchase or lease, such as heated seats or driver assistance technology, that would work after activation without needing extra expenses from the dealer or third parties. Dealers who violate this rule could face fines of up to $10,000 for a first offense and $20,000 for subsequent violations. The state registrar is tasked with creating specific regulations to enforce these new consumer protections within one year of the bill's effective date.