MAACA Monday, June 1, 2026 will cover brief overviews of active Pennsylvania legislation affecting the auto care industry.

SB 1298 directs the Department of Environmental Protection to begin removing specific counties from the enhanced vehicle emission inspection and maintenance program within 60 days of enactment. A revised state implementation plan must be submitted to the EPA by August 1, 2026. The bill also exempts new vehicles from emissions testing for five years after manufacture and prohibits the DEP from expanding the program to additional counties. Learn how to get involved in the grassroots effort around this bill.

A separate House proposal, circulated by Representatives Jeremy Shaffer and Kristin Marcell on May 15, 2026, targets the "2-speed idle" test, which currently applies to vehicles with a GVWR of 8,501 to 9,000 lbs in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh regions. That proposal would replace the outdated tailpipe and 2-speed idle tests with a standard OBD test, or a gas cap test for vehicles without an OBD port. The change would require EPA approval. A new co-sponsorship memo on this legislation was recently posted. Members will hear what this change could mean for their shops and how to engage.

HB 1142 would require any motor vehicle equipped with tinted windows to be tested with a window tint meter during the safety inspection. A vehicle would fail inspection if it violates Pennsylvania's sun screening device regulations. The bill also creates liability under the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law for tinting installers who fail to disclose that their work will cause a vehicle to fail inspection. Shops need clarity on enforcement thresholds, equipment requirements, and who bears responsibility for failures.

HB 2069 would allow municipalities to apply for state approval to install automated noise enforcement systems at specific intersections. Cameras and decibel meters would record vehicles exceeding legal noise limits, with $100 fines issued to registered owners. Citations would not count as criminal convictions or affect driving records, but shops need to understand how this could generate customer disputes around exhaust work and what counts as a legal repair.

The Jay Alerts pilot program, introduced by Representative Morgan Cephas, would establish a hit-and-run alert system in Philadelphia. Following a hit-and-run, the Philadelphia Police Department would be required to notify all licensed vehicle repair facilities in the city through a uniform registry. Alerts would include vehicle make, model, year, color, license plate number, unique identifying characteristics, and extent of damage. The pilot would run for three years before sunsetting. Members will discuss what shop participation, registration requirements, and potential liability could look like in practice.

The Garageman's Lien Bill, which MAACA has been actively working on, would create a lien attachable to a vehicle for non-payment of parts, labor, and storage. A magistrate would need to approve the lien through a petition process and would have authority to order a lien sale. The shop's share of sale proceeds would be limited to the petitioned costs of parts, labor, and storage.

Your involvement matters. Come ready to take action.