Measures address housing discrimination, auto buyer protections, and CPA workforce pathways
Last week, Senator Nick Collins chaired a hearing of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means and voted to advance a trio of bills focused on consumer protection and professional licensure, moving the measures favorably out of committee and onto the Senate floor for further consideration.
The legislation includes proposals aimed at strengthening enforcement of fair housing laws, modernizing protections for automobile buyers and lessees, and updating the pathway to becoming a certified public accountant in order to help address workforce needs in the Commonwealth.
“These bills are about making sure people are treated fairly in the housing market and protected when making some of the largest purchases of their lives,” said Senator Collins. “I was glad to support moving this legislation out of Ways and Means and onto the Senate floor, and I look forward to a thoughtful debate among my colleagues.”
One bill advanced by the committee, S.2947, An Act regarding fair housing practices in the Commonwealth, would strengthen enforcement of the Commonwealth’s Fair Housing Law by requiring fair housing training for licensed real estate professionals, increasing penalties for repeat discriminatory practices, and regularly publishing data on housing discrimination complaints.
Also reported favorably was S.2945, An Act modernizing protections for consumers in automobile transactions. The bill updates consumer safeguards by extending inspection timelines under the Lemon Law, expanding used car warranty coverage, and establishing a grace period for vehicle lessees to address missed payments prior to repossession.
The committee further advanced S.2946, An Act relative to modernizing the pathway to becoming a certified public accountant, which updates licensure requirements to place greater emphasis on qualifying on-the-job experience in combination with collegiate education, with the goal of expanding the Commonwealth’s CPA workforce.
All three measures were reported favorably from the Senate Committee on Ways and Means and are scheduled to be considered by the full Senate on Thursday, February 12, 2026.