Whereas , The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to waive forthwith the participation requirement for group marketing plans for calendar year 1998, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. A group marketing plan approved and in effect, pursuant to section 193R of chapter 175 of the General Laws, during calendar year 1997 may be approved upon renewal, notwithstanding that less than 35 per cent of its members are insured during calendar year 1998.

SECTION 2. The commissioner of insurance shall conduct an investigation and study relative to the safe driver insurance plan, specifically, and the high auto insurance rates in the commonwealth in general.

The investigation and study shall examine, and the commissioner shall submit, legislative recommendations based on, but not limited to, the following four principles:

(1) restructuring the safe driver insurance plan step-rating system so that credit step drivers are not penalized with high and lengthy premiums as a result of a minor accident or infraction;

(2) restructuring the safe driver insurance plan system to decrease the incidence of consumers purposefully increasing deductibles, avoiding filing damage claims and failing to repair a damaged and potentially dangerous vehicle;

(3) focusing the overall restructuring in a manner so as to provide fair and reasonable rates to consumers in the commonwealth and to lower Massachusetts' auto insurance premiums to the national average; and

(4) the existence of high inherent costs within the commonwealth's auto insurance industry.

Said commissioner shall report its legislative recommendations to the general court on or before July 1, 1998.