HB 1355 Summary

• Removes licensing requirements for motor vehicle salespersons and recreational vehicle salespersons, eliminating the need for individual salesperson licenses previously required under Arkansas motor vehicle and recreational vehicle franchise laws.

• Establishes the Automotive Technologist Education Grant Fund, funded by 5% of fees the Arkansas Motor Vehicle Commission collects from license issuances, to provide discretionary grants to career education programs focused on automotive technology training.

• Creates the Automotive Technologist Education Grant Program within the Arkansas Motor Vehicle Commission to award grants to approved technical programs at public schools, secondary technical centers, and institutions of higher education that provide automotive repair and technology training.

• Requires the Office of Skills Development, Division of Career and Technical Education, and Division of Higher Education to jointly create applications and review grant recommendations, with the commission disbursing approved grants within 30 days and recipients providing accounting reports within one year.

• Repeals salesperson license display and employer change procedures (§ 23-112-306 for motor vehicles and § 23-112-1008 for recreational vehicles) while maintaining dealer licensing requirements and allowing unlicensed applicants to sell during the application processing period if their dealer follows proper procedures.