BILL AS INTRODUCED H.188
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VT LEG #380254 v.1
H.188 1
Introduced by Representatives Nugent of South Burlington, Burkhardt of 2
South Burlington, Krasnow of South Burlington, and LaLonde 3
of South Burlington 4
Referred to Committee on 5
Date: 6
Subject: Motor vehicles; commerce and trade; cancellation of purchase; return 7
of vehicle; study 8
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to create a study 9
committee to examine potential changes to permit a purchaser to return a 10
motor vehicle to a dealership within a limited time following its purchase. 11
An act relating to cancellation of motor vehicle purchases 12
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 13
Sec. 1. MOTOR VEHICLE PURCHASE CANCELLATION; STUDY 14
COMMITTEE; REPORT 15
(a) Creation. There is created the Motor Vehicle Purchase Cancellation 16
Study Committee to examine the possibility of amending Vermont’s laws to 17
permit persons to cancel or rescind the purchase of a motor vehicle under 18
certain circumstances. 19 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.188
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VT LEG #380254 v.1
(b) Membership. The Committee shall be composed of the following 1
members: 2
(1) the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles or designee; 3
(2) the Secretary of Transportation or designee; 4
(3) the Commissioner for Children and Families or designee; 5
(4) the Commissioner of Financial Regulation or designee; 6
(5) the Attorney General or designee; 7
(6) the Managing Director of the Vermont Vehicle and Automotive 8
Distributors Association or designee; and 9
(7) a member appointed by Vermont Legal Aid. 10
(c) Powers and duties. The Committee shall examine the possibility of 11
amending Vermont’s laws to permit persons to cancel or rescind the purchase 12
of a motor vehicle under certain circumstances, including the following issues: 13
(1) the legal rights for motor vehicle purchasers in Vermont to: 14
(A) return a motor vehicle after it has been purchased and the 15
purchaser has taken possession of the vehicle; and 16
(B) cancel a contract to purchase a motor vehicle prior to delivery of 17
the vehicle; 18
(2) potential changes to Vermont’s statutes to permit a motor vehicle 19
purchaser to: 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.188
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VT LEG #380254 v.1
(A) return a motor vehicle after it has been purchased and the 1
purchaser has taken possession of the vehicle; and 2
(B) cancel a contract to purchase a motor vehicle prior to delivery of 3
the vehicle; and 4
(3) potential impacts on both motor vehicle purchasers and motor 5
vehicle dealerships of the statutory changes identified pursuant to subdivision 6
(2) of this subsection. 7
(d) Assistance. The Committee shall have the administrative, technical, 8
and legal assistance of the Department of Motor Vehicles. 9
(e) Report. On or before January 15, 2026, the Committee shall submit a 10
written report to the House Committee on Transportation and the Senate 11
Committee on Transportation with its findings and any recommendations for 12
legislative action. 13
(f) Meetings. 14
(1) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall call the first meeting of 15
the Committee to occur on or before September 1, 2025. 16
(2) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall be the chair of the 17
Committee. 18
(3) A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum. 19
(4) The Committee shall cease to exist on February 15, 2026. 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.188
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VT LEG #380254 v.1
(g) Compensation and reimbursement. Members of the Committee who 1
are not otherwise compensated for their attendance at meetings shall be entitled 2
to per diem compensation and reimbursement of expenses as permitted under 3
32 V.S.A. § 1010 for not more than four meetings. These payments shall be 4
made from monies appropriated to Agency of Transportation. 5
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 6
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 7