The Maine Senate sustained the governor’s veto on changes to Maine’s Right to Repair law, securing independent repair shops’ access to diagnostic data.
The original legislation was passed by statewide referendum in 2023 and became effective in January 2025 for all vehicles, new and used, sold in the state.
With input from manufacturers, the Maine Legislature passed LD 1228 late last year, giving carmakers greater control over how data could be accessed outside of dealership networks.
After an outcry from hundreds of local repair shops, Gov. Janet Mills vetoed the bill earlier this month. The House of Representatives then voted 96-44 to override the governor.
The final decree came from the Senate last week, which voted with Mills, 24-10.
The bill to amend had been sponsored by state Rep. Tiffany Roberts, D-South Berwick, and it included the establishment of a commission to oversee disputes between manufacturers and independent repair shops.
The creation of that commission had been unanimously recommended by a working group that included the two entities and was supported by Mills.
In a letter after her veto, Mills said the provision restricting diagnostic data access was not part of the working group’s recommendations and was added at manufacturers’ urging.
Lawmakers have introduced similar bills in all 50 states, half of which have laws on the books.
