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 respo, the official text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 729
PRINTER'S NO.  2597
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
710
Session of
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
required financial responsibility and providing for online
verification of financial responsibility.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1.  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:
§ 1786.  Required financial responsibility.
* * *
(b)  Self-certification.--
(1)  The Department of Transportation shall require that
each motor vehicle registrant certify that the registrant is
financially responsible at the time of registration or
renewal thereof. The department shall refuse to register or
renew the registration of a vehicle for failure to comply
with this requirement or falsification of self-certification.
(2)       The department shall verify    financial responsibility
information self-certified by a    motor vehicle registrant
through the verification system    established under section
1786.1 (relating to online    verification of financial
responsibility). If the    verification system provides no
evidence of financial    responsibility, the department shall
send    the owner or registrant a notice providing the owner or
registrant the opportunity to provide proof of financial
responsibility to the department.
(c)  Consent to produce proof of financial responsibility.--
(1)  Upon registering a motor vehicle or renewing a motor
vehicle registration, the owner of the motor vehicle shall be
deemed to have given consent to produce proof, upon request,
to the Department of Transportation or a police officer that
the vehicle registrant has the financial responsibility
required by this chapter. Proof of financial responsibility
may be satisfied under this chapter by production of a
financial responsibility identification card in paper or
electronic form.
(2)  If an owner of a motor vehicle [is providing]
provides electronic proof of financial responsibility to a
police officer, the police officer shall only view content
that is reasonably necessary to demonstrate proof of
financial responsibility.
(3)  The owner of the electronic device assumes liability
for any damage to the electronic device containing the
financial responsibility identification card while in
possession of the police officer or agents of the department.
(4)  Proof of financial responsibility may be satisfied
through the online verification system established under
section 1786.1. A motor vehicle owner or registrant is not
required to provide a financial responsibility identification
card if coverage is confirmed through the online verification
system.
* * *
(e)  Obligations upon lapse, termination or cancellation of
financial responsibility.--
* * *
(2)  (I)  AN INSURER WHO HAS ISSUED A CONTRACT OF MOTOR
VEHICLE LIABILITY INSURANCE, OR ANY APPROVED SELF-
INSURANCE ENTITY, SHALL NOTIFY THE DEPARTMENT IN A TIMELY
MANNER AND IN A METHOD PRESCRIBED BY THE DEPARTMENT'S
REGULATIONS. 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
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. The insurer shall notify
the department not later than ten days following the
effective date of the cancellation or termination. This
paragraph shall not apply to an insurer that participates in
the verification system established under section 1786.1.
* * *
(g)  Defenses.--
(1)  No person shall be convicted of failing to produce
proof of financial responsibility under this subchapter or
section 3743 (relating to accidents involving damage to
attended vehicle or property) or 6308 (relating to
investigation by police officers) if the person produces, at
the office of the issuing authority within five days of the
date of the violation, proof that he possessed the required
financial responsibility at the time of the violation. Proof
of required financial responsibility shall include
verification of financial responsibility    through the
verification system established under    section 1786.1.
* * *
(i)       Online verification.--If the verification system
established under section 1786.1 provides no evidence of
financial responsibility, the Department of Transportation shall
send the owner or registrant a notice providing the owner or
registrant the opportunity to provide proof of financial
responsibility.
Section 2.  Title 75 is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 1786.1.       Online verification of financial responsibility.
(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.    Insurance company systems shall respond to
each request with a prescribed response upon evaluation of
the data provided in the request.
(2)       The verification system shall include appropriate
provisions to secure the data against unauthorized access.
(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
authorized by the Commonwealth as permitted by Federal or
State privacy laws.
(4)  The verification system shall be capable of
interfacing with existing department-owned or Commonwealth-
owned electronic systems.
(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
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:
(i)  insurer National Association of Insurance
Commissioners company code;
(ii)  vehicle identification number;
(iii)  policy number;
(iv)  verification date; or
(v)  information as otherwise described in the
specifications and standards of the Insurance Industry
Committee On Motor Vehicle Administration.
(6)  The verification system shall respond to a request
for financial responsibility information within a period
established by the department.
(7)  The department may contract with one or more private
third parties to implement this section and shall procure the
services in accordance with 62 Pa.C.S. (relating to
procurement).
(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.
(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
promulgated by the department.
(2)  Cooperate with the department in establishing and
maintaining the verification system established under
subsection (a) as required by this section and rules and
regulations 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.
(d)  Alternative reporting methodology.--The department may
develop an alternative reporting methodology for an insurer that
issues fewer than 1,000 contracts of motor vehicle liability
insurance in this Commonwealth.
(e)       Liability.--An insurer complying in good faith with this
section or rules and regulations promulgated by the department
under this section shall be immune from civil and administrative
liability for noncompliance with this section.
(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),
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
insurers,    shall issue a report to the General Assembly. The
report shall    include the following:
(1)       Costs incurred by the department and insurers
related to the implementation of this section.
(2)       The effectiveness of the verification system with
reducing the number of uninsured motor vehicles.
(3)       Any other information at the discretion of the
department.
(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).
(i)       Temporary regulations.--In order to facilitate the
prompt implementation of this section, regulations promulgated
by the department under this section during the two years
following the effective date of this section shall be deemed
temporary regulations, which shall expire no later than four
years following the effective date of this section or upon
promulgation of final regulations, whichever occurs first. The
temporary regulations shall not be subject to:
(1)       Sections 201, 202, 203, 204 and 205 of the act of
July 31, 1968 (P.L.769, No.240), referred to as the
Commonwealth Documents Law.
(2)       Section 204(b) of the act of October 15, 1980
(P.L.950, No.164), known as the Commonwealth Attorneys Act.
(3)       The act of June 25, 1982 (P.L.633, No.181), known as
the Regulatory Review Act.
(j)  Definition.--As used in this section, the term
"department" means the Department of Transportation of the
Commonwealth.
Section 3.  This act shall take effect as follows:
(1)  The addition of 75 Pa.C.S. § 1786.1(a), (b)(7) and
(i) shall take effect immediately.
(2)  This section shall take effect immediately.
(3)  The remainder of this act shall take effect in one
year 18 MONTHS.