EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0834*
SENATE BILL 834
R4 5lr3049
By: Senator Waldstreicher
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2025
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 24, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Vehicle Laws – Manufacturers and Dealers – Prices Listed on Dealer Websites 2
FOR the purpose of providing that a manufacturer, distributor, or factory branch may not 3
take an adverse action against a dealer for disclosing certain information on prices 4
listed on its website; and generally relating to prices listed on dealer websites. 5
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
Article – Transportation 7
Section 15–207(h) 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 10
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 11
Article – Transportation 12
Section 15–313(a) and (b) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – Transportation 18
15–207. 19
2 SENATE BILL 834
(h) (1) (i) Any consumer rebates, dealer incentives, price or interest rate 1
reductions, or finance terms that a manufacturer, distributor, or factory branch offers or 2
advertises, or allows its dealers to offer or advertise, shall be offered to all dealers of the 3
same line make. 4
(ii) Any manufacturer, distributor, or factory branch that denies the 5
benefit of any consumer rebates, dealer incentives, price or interest rate reductions, or 6
finance terms to a dealer on the basis that the dealer failed to comply with performance 7
standards has the burden of proving that the performance standards comply with the 8
provisions of this section. 9
(2) Unless a dealer violates a State or local law intended to protect the 10
public, a manufacturer, distributor, or factory branch may not: 11
(i) Require a dealer to alter or replace an existing dealership 12
facility; or 13
(ii) Deny, or threaten to deny, any benefit generally available to all 14
dealers for a dealer’s failure to alter or replace an existing dealership facility. 15
(3) UNLESS A DEALER VIOLA TES § 15–313(A) OR (B) OF THIS TITLE 16
OR A STATE OR LOCAL LAW IN TENDED TO PROTECT TH E PUBLIC, A MANUFACTURER , 17
DISTRIBUTOR, OR FACTORY BRANCH MA Y NOT TAKE AN ADVERSE ACTION AGA INST 18
A DEALER FOR DISCLOS ING ON ITS WEBSITE T HAT THE ADVERTISED P RICE OF A 19
VEHICLE IS THE MANUF ACTURER’S MINIMUM ALLOWABLE ADVERTISED PRICE AND 20
THAT THE DEALER MAY OFFER A LOWER PRICE FOR THE VEHICLE . 21
[(3)] (4) A manufacturer, distributor, or factory branch may not reduce 22
the price of a motor vehicle charged to a dealer or provide different financing terms to a 23
dealer in exchange for the dealer’s agreement to: 24
(i) Maintain an exclusive sales or service facility; 25
(ii) Build or alter a sales or service facility; or 26
(iii) Participate in a floor plan or other financing arrangement. 27
(5) NOTHING IN THIS SUBSE CTION PROHIBITS A MANUFACTU RER, 28
DISTRIBUTOR, OR FACTORY BRANCH FROM REQUIRING ALL D EALERS TO INCLUDE 29
FREIGHT OR DEALER PR OCESSING CHARGES IN THE PRICES LISTED ON A DEALER’S 30
WEBSITE. 31
15–313. 32
(a) A dealer or an agent or employee of a dealer may not use any advertisement 33
that is in any way false, deceptive, or misleading. 34 SENATE BILL 834 3
(b) A dealer or an agent or employee of a dealer may not by any means advertise 1
or offer to the public any vehicle without intent to sell it as advertised or offered. 2
SECTION 2. AND BE I T FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 3
October 1, 2025. 4
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.