HB 710 — An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in financial responsibility, further providing for required financial responsibility and providing for online verification of financial responsibility.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.

729 THEPRINTER'S GENERALNO. ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.

7102597 2025THE INTRODUCEDGENERAL BYASSEMBLY BENNINGHOFF,OF ARMANINI,PENNSYLVANIA CIRESI,HOUSE FREEMAN,BILL HANBIDGE,Session KINKEAD, KULIK, PICKETT, PROBST, PUGH, RADER, RIVERA, ROAE, SMITH, STENDER, CURRY, BERNSTINE AND McANDREW, FEBRUARY 24, 2025 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, FEBRUARY 24, 2025 AN ACT Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of theNo. Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in financial responsibility, further providing for required financial responsibility and providing for online verification of financial responsibility.

710 2025 INTRODUCED BY BENNINGHOFF, NEILSON, ARMANINI, CIRESI, FREEMAN, HANBIDGE, KINKEAD, KULIK, PICKETT, PROBST, PUGH, RADER, RIVERA, ROAE, SMITH, STENDER, CURRY, BERNSTINE, McANDREW, COOPER, WARREN, BENHAM AND MARCELL, FEBRUARY 24, 2025 AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, NOVEMBER 17, 2025 AN ACT Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in financial responsibility, further providing for verification of financial responsibility.viding for online The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1786(b), (c), (e)(3) (E)(2) AND (3) and <-- (g)(1) of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection to read:

20250HB0710PN2597 - 2 - (4) Proof of financial responsibility may be satisfied through the online verification system established under 20250HB0710PN0729 - 2 - section 1786.1.

* * * (e) Obligations upon lapse, termination or cancellation of financial responsibility.-- * * * (3)(2) An(I) insurerAN whoINSURER hasWHO issuedHAS aISSUED contractA ofCONTRACT motorOF vehicleMOTOR liability<-- insuranceVEHICLE andLIABILITY knowsINSURANCE, orOR hasANY reasonAPPROVED toSELF- believeINSURANCE thatENTITY, theSHALL contractNOTIFY isTHE onlyDEPARTMENT forIN theA purposeTIMELY ofMANNER providingAND proofIN ofA financialMETHOD responsibilityPRESCRIBED shallBY notifyTHE theDEPARTMENT'S departmentREGULATIONS. if the insurance has been canceled or terminated by the insured or by the insurer.

THIS SUBPARAGRAPH SHALL NOT APPLY TO AN INSURER THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE VERIFICATION SYSTEM ESTABLISHED UNDER SECTION 1786.1.

(II) UPON REQUEST OF AN OWNER OR REGISTRANT IN THE CASE OF AN APPEAL BROUGHT BY AN OWNER OR REGISTRANT FOR SUSPENSION UNDER THIS SECTION, AN INSURER SHALL PROVIDE A COPY OF THE NOTICE OF CANCELLATION OR A COPY OF THE INSURER'S FILING PROCEDURES WITH PROOF THAT THE NOTICE WAS WRITTEN IN THE NORMAL COURSE OF BUSINESS AND PLACED IN THE NORMAL COURSE OF MAILING.

THE DEPARTMENT SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO PRODUCE SUCH COPY OR ANY OTHER PROOF THAT NOTICE OF TERMINATION, LAPSE OR CANCELLATION WAS PROVIDED TO THE OWNER OR REGISTRANT IN ORDER TO SATISFY THE BURDEN OF PROOF IN A PROCEEDING UNDER THIS SECTION.

(3) An insurer who has issued a contract of motor vehicle liability insurance and knows or has reason to 20250HB0710PN2597 - 3 - believe that the contract is only for the purpose of providing proof of financial responsibility shall notify the department if the insurance has been canceled or terminated by the insured or by the insurer.

Proof of required financial responsibility shall include verification of financial responsibility through the 20250HB0710PN0729 - 3 - verification system established under section 1786.1.

20250HB0710PN2597 - 4 - (a) Duty to establish verification system.--The department shall establish a common-carrier-based system for online <-- verification of financial responsibility as required by this chapter.

(b) System requirements.-- (1) The verification system shall transmit requests to insurers for verification of motor vehicle liability insurance via Internet website services established by the insurers in compliance with the CONSISTENT WITH <-- specifications and standards of the Insurance Industry <-- Committee On Motor Vehicle Administration.

SUPPORTED AND USED <-- BY MOTOR VEHICLE ADMINISTRATORS IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES.

(3) The verification system shall be used for verification of motor vehicle liability insurance as prescribed by the laws of this Commonwealth and shall be accessible to authorized personnel of the department, the courts, law enforcement personnel and other entities 20250HB0710PN0729 - 4 - authorized by the Commonwealth as permitted by Federal or State privacy laws.

(5) The verification system shall enable the department to make inquiries to insurers of motor vehicle liability insurance that is consistent with the Insurance Industry <-- 20250HB0710PN2597 - 5 - Committee On Motor Vehicle Administration recommendations, specifications and standards SUPPORTED AND USED BY MOTOR <-- VEHICLE ADMINISTRATORS IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES by using the following data elements for greater matching accuracy:

(8) The department and any contracted third party shall <-- maintain a contact person for insurers during the establishment, implementation and operation of the verification system.

20250HB0710PN0729 - 5 - (c) Participation required.--An insurer that issues at least 1,000 contracts of motor vehicle liability insurance in this Commonwealth shall:

(1) Provide access to motor vehicle liability insurance policy information to the department or a third party as required by this section and rules and regulations 20250HB0710PN2597 - 6 - promulgated by the department.

(3) Have the ability to respond to and confirm a request <-- for verification of financial responsibility for at least six months prior to the date of the request for verification of financial responsibility.

(3) (I) SUBJECT TO SUBPARAGRAPH (II), HAVE THE ABILITY <-- TO RESPOND TO AND CONFIRM A REQUEST FOR VERIFICATION OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR AT LEAST 24 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE DATE OF THE REQUEST FOR VERIFICATION OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.

(II) AN INSURER MAY NOT BE REQUIRED TO RESPOND TO AND CONFIRM A REQUEST FOR VERIFICATION OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY MADE MORE THAN SIX MONTHS PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SUBPARAGRAPH.

(f) Confidential records.--Information, data or records submitted to or maintained by the verification system established under subsection (a) are not subject to access and duplication under the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), 20250HB0710PN2597 - 7 - known as the Right-to-Know Law.

(g) Report.--No later than two years after the effective date of this section, the department, in consultation with 20250HB0710PN0729 - 6 - insurers, shall issue a report to the General Assembly.

(h) Construction.--Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to authorize the department to suspend or revoke a <-- registration or suspend the operating privilege of the owner or registrant of a motor vehicle, except as permitted under section 1786 (relating to required financial responsibility).

(3) The act of June 25, 1982 (P.L.633, No.181), known as 20250HB0710PN2597 - 8 - the Regulatory Review Act.

(j) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "department" means the Department of Transportation of the 20250HB0710PN0729 - 7 - Commonwealth.

(3) The remainder of this act shall take effect in one year.<-- year 18 MONTHS.

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