Kansas House Bill HB2288

Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/5/25
• Refer: 2/5/25

Caption

Creating the motor vehicle right to repair act.

Summary

HB 2288 creates the Kansas motor vehicle right to repair act. The bill requires motor vehicle manufacturers to provide owners and independent repair facilities with access to the diagnostic tools, repair information, software, parts, and components needed to service and fully repair vehicles sold in Kansas. It applies to a broad range of vehicles, including commercial motor vehicles and vehicles over 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating, and it sets different access rules for older vehicles, 2018-and-newer vehicles, and vehicles equipped with telematics systems. The bill also requires manufacturers that install telematics systems to provide, by January 1, 2027, a standardized and interoperable access platform that allows owners to authorize access to mechanical data for independent repair facilities or dealers. It establishes a motor vehicle repairs board under the attorney general to oversee standards, secure access, compliance, and suspected violations. The bill allows manufacturers to exclude certain immobilizer and security-related information from direct disclosure, but requires that information to be available through a secure data release model system or similar accepted system.

Impact

HB 2288 would significantly expand statutory rights for Kansas vehicle owners and independent repair shops by requiring manufacturers to make repair-related data and tools available on terms comparable to those offered to authorized dealers and repair facilities. It would also impose new obligations on manufacturers regarding standardized diagnostic access, telematics data sharing, and nonproprietary interfaces for newer vehicles, while creating an enforcement structure through the attorney general and a new motor vehicle repairs board. The bill would create a private right of action and civil penalties for denied access, potentially increasing litigation and compliance costs for manufacturers and altering the balance of repair information control in the state.

Sentiment

The available context shows no recorded committee testimony or votes, so there is no direct evidence of formal support or opposition in the legislative record provided. Based on the bill’s sponsorship request by ABATE of Kansas and its committee origin in Transportation, the measure appears to be framed as a consumer and independent-repair access bill, which typically draws support from aftermarket repair interests and vehicle owners. At the same time, the bill’s broad disclosure mandates and enforcement provisions suggest likely concern from manufacturers and dealer-affiliated entities about data security, proprietary systems, and compliance burdens.

Contention

The main points of contention are likely to be the scope of required access to diagnostic and telematics data, the requirement that manufacturers provide tools and software at comparable cost and terms, and the creation of a state board to oversee standards and investigate violations. Manufacturers may object to mandatory sharing of repair information, standardized access platforms, and the private right of action with substantial civil penalties. Independent repair facilities, aftermarket parts companies, and vehicle owners are the parties most likely to support the bill because it expands their ability to diagnose and repair vehicles without manufacturer authorization. Security-related exclusions for immobilizer systems may also be a point of debate, since the bill balances repair access against anti-theft and cybersecurity concerns.