Maryland 2024 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB968 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	sb0968
6	6
7	7	SENATE BILL 968
8	8	R4 4lr2756
9	9	CF 4lr3282
10	10	By: Senator Waldstreicher
11	11	Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2024
12	12	Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Vehicle Laws – Manufacturers and Dealers – Standing of Dealer Associations 2
19	19
20	20	FOR the purpose of authorizing a vehicle dealer association, on behalf of itself, a vehicle 3
21	21	dealer, or a group of vehicle dealers, to bring suit to recover damages and reasonable 4
22	22	attorneys’ fees or to request an administrative hearing on certain matters; and 5
23	23	generally relating to standing for vehicle dealer associations. 6
24	24
25	25	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7
26	26	Article – Transportation 8
27	27	Section 15–201(a) 9
28	28	Annotated Code of Maryland 10
29	29	(2020 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 11
30	30
31	31	BY adding to 12
32	32	Article – Transportation 13
33	33	Section 15–201(a–1) 14
34	34	Annotated Code of Maryland 15
35	35	(2020 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 16
36	36
37	37	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 17
38	38	Article – Transportation 18
39	39	Section 15–213 and 15–214 19
40	40	Annotated Code of Maryland 20
41	41	(2020 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 21
42	42
43	43	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 22
44	44	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 23
45	45
46	46	Article – Transportation 24
47	47
48	48	15–201. 25 2 SENATE BILL 968
49	49
50	50
51	51
52	52	(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 1
53	53
54	54	(A–1) “DEALER ASSOCIATION” MEANS A BUSINESS ENTITY TH AT: 2
55	55
56	56	(1) IS PRIMARILY OWNED BY OR COMPOSED OF DEALERS ; AND 3
57	57
58	58	(2) PRIMARILY REPRESENTS THE INTER ESTS OF DEALERS . 4
59	59
60	60	15–213. 5
61	61
62	62	Notwithstanding any administrative or criminal sanctions imposed by this subtitle, 6
63	63	if a person suffers financial injury or other damage as a result of a violation of this subtitle 7
64	64	by any other person, whether or not that other person has been found guilty of a criminal 8
65	65	violation, the injured person, OR A DEALER ASSOCIATION ON BEHALF OF ITSELF, A 9
66	66	DEALER, OR A GROUP OF DEALERS , may recover damages and reasonable attorneys’ fees 10
67	67	in any court of competent jurisdiction. 11
68	68
69	69	15–214. 12
70	70
71	71	In addition to any other right to request a hearing under this subtitle and 13
72	72	notwithstanding any provisions of the franchise agreement to the contrary, a dealer, 14
73	73	designated dealer successor as provided in § 15–211.1 of this subtitle, DEALER 15
74	74	ASSOCIATION ON BEHAL F OF ITSELF, A DEALER, OR A GROUP OF DEALER S, 16
75	75	manufacturer, distributor, or factory branch may request a hearing under Title 12, Subtitle 17
76	76	2 of this article to: 18
77	77
78	78	(1) Resolve a dispute under any provision of this title between a dealer [or], 19
79	79	a designated dealer successor, OR A DEALER ASSOCIAT ION and a manufacturer, 20
80	80	distributor, or factory branch; or 21
81	81
82	82	(2) Seek clarification or interpretation of any provision of this subtitle. 22
83	83
84	84	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 23
85	85	October 1, 2024. 24