SB 388 Summary

• Extends lemon law protections to passenger boats and boat motors sold or leased in Connecticut, allowing consumers to report nonconformities within two years of original delivery.

• Manufacturers must repair defects, or if unsuccessful after a reasonable number of attempts, must refund the full contract price plus collateral charges, finance charges, and incidental damages, or replace the boat.

• Presumes reasonable repair attempts have been made if the same defect is repaired four or more times within two years or the boat is out of service for 30+ cumulative days, or if a safety-critical defect is repaired twice.

• Establishes an independent arbitration procedure through the Department of Consumer Protection with three-member panels to resolve disputes between consumers and manufacturers, with decisions rendered within 60 days.

• Authorizes the Attorney General to certify manufacturer informal dispute settlement procedures and requires dealers to provide written warranty information to consumers at time of sale or lease; all provisions effective October 1, 2012.