Maine's Senate voted Tuesday to sustain Gov. Janet Mills' veto of legislation that would have amended the state's automotive Right to Repair law, leaving intact stronger data-access protections for independent collision repair shops.
The Senate voted 24-10 to uphold Mills' veto of LD 1228, falling short of the two-thirds majority needed to override. The decision came one week after the House of Representatives narrowly voted 96-44 to override the veto, according to the Maine Legislature.
Shops Retain Standardized Data Access
The outcome means Maine's original Right to Repair law, approved by 84% of voters in a November 2023 referendum and effective since Jan. 5, 2025, remains unchanged. That law requires automakers to provide vehicle owners and independent repair facilities access to diagnostic and repair data through a standardized, owner-authorized platform.
For collision repair shops in Maine, the sustained veto preserves the law's requirement that automakers cannot dictate the terms of data access. Shops retain the right to access vehicle telematics data through a standardized platform, rather than through individual arrangements with each manufacturer.
"Fair and Reasonable" Language Rejected
LD 1228 would have implemented recommendations from a state working group while adding language allowing automakers to provide data access on "fair and reasonable terms" — phrasing that Mills and independent repair advocates argued gave manufacturers too much control over how data is shared.
"With this provision included, LD 1228 would undermine the existing law overwhelmingly approved by Maine voters and harm independent repair shops across the state," Mills wrote in her Jan. 7 veto announcement. She described the bill as "a finger on the scale in favor of auto manufacturers and against local businesses.”
Mills said she heard from hundreds of independent shop owners who opposed the bill, concerned that vague language about "fair and reasonable" terms would allow automakers to restrict access to data needed for routine maintenance and repairs on modern vehicles.
Mixed Reactions from Shop Owners
The bill had bipartisan legislative support, with the House initially passing it 135-12 before the veto. Bill sponsor Rep. Tiffany Roberts said during the House override debate that the legislation properly implemented the working group's recommendations and included necessary cybersecurity provisions.
However, independent repair advocates opposed LD 1228, arguing the bill would undo voter intent by letting manufacturers dictate data-access terms. Mills said she heard from hundreds of independent shop owners who asked her to veto the bill.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing major vehicle manufacturers, expressed disappointment with the sustained veto. The industry group has argued the original law raises privacy and cybersecurity concerns and requires Maine to establish a data-transfer system that doesn't yet exist.
Federal Lawsuit Expected to Continue
Auto Innovators filed a federal lawsuit in January 2025 challenging Maine's law as unconstitutional, claiming it violates manufacturers' due-process rights and conflicts with federal vehicle-safety regulations. That lawsuit was placed on hold pending the legislative outcome and is expected to resume, according to legal analysis from Nelson Mullins law firm.
A similar legal challenge to Massachusetts' Right to Repair law is proceeding in federal court. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit is scheduled to hear oral arguments Feb. 3, 2026, according to the legal analysis. A federal district court rejected the constitutional challenge to Massachusetts' law in February 2025.
Alternative Bill Proposed
Mills urged the Maine Legislature to consider LD 292, alternative legislation that she said would enact the working group's unanimous recommendations without the controversial manufacturer-friendly provision.
Maine collision repair shops may want to monitor both the federal court proceedings and any new legislative proposals that may emerge. The sustained veto means the original law's standardized data-access requirement remains the standard shops can rely on.
The Maine Legislature passed LD 1228 in June 2024, striking the key provision that would have required OEMs' telematics data to be housed on a standardized access platform.
