HB 800 - Motor Vehicle Dealers and Manufacturers Licensing Law

• Clarifies definition of "used motor vehicle" and "new motor vehicle" to reference proper statutory subdivisions rather than paragraph numbers.

• Expands protections for dealers whose franchises are terminated due to manufacturer ownership changes, requiring 180 days' notice and fair market value compensation for the franchise; prohibits dealers from waiving the right to fair market value compensation within 90 days of agreement.

• Establishes procedures for area of responsibility disputes, allowing dealers to petition the Commissioner within 60 days and requiring manufacturers to prove reasonableness based on specific factors including sales patterns, traffic patterns, population growth, and consumer welfare.

• Prohibits manufacturers from charging more than reasonable cost for special or essential tools and requires cost disclosure on invoices for tools exceeding $250; exempts pass-through tool fees that don't increase dealer costs.

• Strengthens protections against manufacturer retaliation for vehicle exports or resales by narrowing grounds for adverse action, requiring manufacturer knowledge or reasonable suspicion within specific timeframes, and creating rebuttable presumptions favoring dealers; increases truck dealer reimbursement from $600 to $900 per vehicle.