AUTO REFORM DIFFERENCES:

Gov. Mitt Romney and Attorney General Tom Reilly sparred over auto insurance, with Reilly saying the governor’s reform plan would create chaos and Romney accusing Reilly of failing as a leader because he had no plan of his own. The Republican governor urged lawmakers to adopt his proposal to deregulate the auto market. Reilly, who is running for governor, said lawmakers should vote against Romney’s plan. “If that bill … goes into effect, all hell will break loose in this state,” Reilly said. Urban drivers could see their rates double, Reilly said, arguing that the state needs to introduce market competition more slowly. Romney, who has yet to declare whether he will seek re-election, told legislators that he would accept any reform, as long as it scrapped the state’s unique regulatory scheme and introduced more competition. “There is enormous resistance to change because a few companies, a handful of companies, are making a lot of money by keeping things exactly the way they are, and they do not want to see any change whatsoever,” he said. The legislation has been the subject of a television ad war between insurance companies operating under the existing system and those supporting Romney’s approach, with both sides accusing the other of distorting the truth. The Legislature adjourned for the year on Nov. 16, meaning any change will have to wait until next year.

Topics Auto Legislation