By Bob Katzen

The House and Senate approved and sent to Gov. Charlie Baker legislation waiving, for two years, a law that requires businesses and groups to have a 35 percent participation rate in order to qualify for group auto and home insurance discount rates. The measure permits groups with less than the 35 percent participation to take advantage of group rates, which save members between 5 percent and 8 percent. The law, has been waived every two years since 1997. The 35 percent requirement was first included in a 1973 law.

Supporters said if the bill is not approved, insurance discounts for 322,000 vehicles and 142,000 homes in the Bay State would disappear on January 1, 2018 and consumers will pay millions of dollars more for insurance.