Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1280 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2268 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1280
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Francisco E. Paulino
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act regulating insurance coverage for testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles and
13	13	establishing school zone safety protocol.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Francisco E. Paulino16th Essex1/15/2025 1 of 6
17	17	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2268 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
18	18	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1280
19	19	By Representative Paulino of Methuen, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1280) of
20	20	Francisco E. Paulino relative to insurance coverage for testing and deployment of and school
21	21	zone safety protocol for autonomous vehicles. Financial Services.
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act regulating insurance coverage for testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles and
28	28	establishing school zone safety protocol.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 90 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following
32	32	2sections:
33	33	3 Section 64. Definitions
34	34	4 As used in sections 64 to 67, inclusive, the following words shall, unless the context
35	35	5clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
36	36	6 "Autonomous Vehicle" or "AV", a motor vehicle equipped with technology that allows
37	37	7the vehicle to operate without the active control or monitoring of a human operator under
38	38	8specific conditions.
39	39	9 "Manufacturer", a person or entity that designs, manufactures, or modifies vehicles to
40	40	10incorporate autonomous driving technology. 2 of 6
41	41	11 "Testing Company", an entity authorized to conduct on-road testing of autonomous
42	42	12vehicles within the Commonwealth.
43	43	13 "Cybersecurity Liability Insurance", insurance coverage that protects against financial
44	44	14and legal risks arising from unauthorized access to or control of vehicle systems or data.
45	45	15 "Product Liability Insurance", insurance coverage that protects the manufacturer from
46	46	16liability resulting from defects or malfunctions in the autonomous technology.
47	47	17 Section 65. Insurance Requirements for Autonomous Vehicles
48	48	18 (a) Autonomous vehicles operating on public roads in the Commonwealth shall comply
49	49	19with insurance requirements established by the Division of Insurance (DOI), in consultation with
50	50	20the Department of Transportation (MassDOT). These requirements shall ensure adequate
51	51	21coverage for:
52	52	22 General liability risks associated with AV operations, including testing and deployment.
53	53	23 Product liability to address claims from defects in autonomous technology.
54	54	24 Cybersecurity risks, including unauthorized access, hacking, and operational disruptions.
55	55	25 Personal Injury Protection (PIP), consistent with the Commonwealth’s no-fault insurance
56	56	26laws.
57	57	27 Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
58	58	28 (b) The DOI shall establish minimum coverage amounts, with specific thresholds for
59	59	29testing and deployment phases, and shall adjust such amounts based on operational profiles and
60	60	30risk assessments. 3 of 6
61	61	31 (c) The DOI and MassDOT shall establish a joint task force to ensure coordination in
62	62	32implementing insurance and operational requirements, including data sharing and reporting
63	63	33mechanisms.
64	64	34 (d) All autonomous vehicle operations, including testing and deployment, shall comply
65	65	35with the requirements established by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation
66	66	36(MassDOT), including but not limited to, those set forth under Executive Order 572 and any duly
67	67	37promulgated regulations or guidelines issued by MassDOT or the Autonomous Vehicles
68	68	38Working Group.
69	69	39 Section 66. School Zone Safety Protocols for Autonomous Vehicles
70	70	40 (a) Speed Restrictions: Autonomous vehicles operating in designated school zones shall
71	71	41automatically reduce speed to a maximum of 15 miles per hour using geofencing technology.
72	72	42 (b) Pedestrian Detection and Stop Mechanisms: AVs shall employ pedestrian detection
73	73	43systems capable of identifying individuals within 50 feet of a crosswalk and stopping when a
74	74	44pedestrian is detected.
75	75	45 (c) Prohibition on Testing During Active School Hours: Testing of AVs in school zones
76	76	46is prohibited during active school hours or high pedestrian traffic periods unless permitted by
77	77	47MassDOT with enhanced monitoring requirements. Limited testing for the purpose of improving
78	78	48school zone safety may be allowed under strict supervision and additional safeguards.
79	79	49 (d) Geofencing for School Buses: AVs shall recognize and respect geofenced zones
80	80	50around school buses and halt when a bus displays extended stop signs or flashing lights. 4 of 6
81	81	51 (e) Municipal Autonomy and Coordination: Municipalities may enact additional
82	82	52operational requirements for autonomous vehicles, provided such requirements are:
83	83	53 Consistent with state regulations established under this act;
84	84	54 Reviewed and approved by MassDOT to ensure uniformity and compliance across the
85	85	55Commonwealth; and
86	86	56 Clearly communicated to AV operators at least 60 days prior to enforcement to allow
87	87	57adequate preparation and compliance.
88	88	58 Section 67. Additional Provisions and Enforcement
89	89	59 (a) State-Managed Insurance Pool:
90	90	60 The DOI shall establish and manage an insurance pool to support AV companies,
91	91	61distributing risk and providing financial stability for high-risk operations.
92	92	62 The DOI shall promulgate regulations within 180 days of the effective date of this act,
93	93	63specifying funding mechanisms, eligibility criteria, and operational guidelines for the insurance
94	94	64pool.
95	95	65 (b) Penalties for Noncompliance:
96	96	66 MassDOT is authorized to enforce compliance with autonomous vehicle regulations,
97	97	67including the imposition of fines up to $50,000 per violation, suspension of permits, or other
98	98	68penalties as deemed necessary.
99	99	69 (c) Public Engagement and Transparency: 5 of 6
100	100	70 MassDOT shall establish a public reporting system for autonomous vehicle incidents,
101	101	71including accidents, near misses, and operational disengagements.
102	102	72 Annual reports summarizing safety data and regulatory compliance shall be published
103	103	73and made available to the public.
104	104	74 MassDOT shall host biannual public forums to engage residents, address concerns, and
105	105	75provide updates on AV operations.
106	106	76 (d) Periodic Reviews:
107	107	77 The DOI, in consultation with MassDOT, shall review and update AV insurance
108	108	78requirements every three years to reflect advancements in technology and emerging risks.
109	109	79 (e) Federal Compliance:
110	110	80 The provisions of this act shall comply with all applicable federal laws and regulations
111	111	81governing autonomous vehicles.
112	112	82 (f) Workforce Development and Training:
113	113	83 The Commonwealth shall allocate funding for workforce development initiatives to train
114	114	84residents for careers in autonomous vehicle technology, including software development,
115	115	85maintenance, and regulatory oversight.
116	116	86 (g) Environmental Impact Standards:
117	117	87 All autonomous vehicles operating within the Commonwealth shall meet low-emission or
118	118	88zero-emission vehicle standards as defined by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental
119	119	89Protection. 6 of 6
120	120	90 (h) Emergency Vehicle Interaction Certification:
121	121	91 Autonomous vehicle operators shall demonstrate the capability to detect and respond to
122	122	92emergency vehicles and personnel during operational testing. Certification of this capability shall
123	123	93be required before deployment.
124	124	94 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect 120 days after its passage.