The following was a News & Insights report from the RV Industry Association (RVIA).
On April 3, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation HB 605 to create an RV-specific franchise law which governs the manufacturer-dealer relationship for RVs. The bill now heads to Maryland Governor Wes Moore for his signature. Passage of the bill was possible thanks to the leadership of Del. Dana Stein (Baltimore) and Sen. Mike McKay (Allegany, Garrett, & Washington).
“This legislation modernizes the regulatory structure governing recreational dealer vehicle agreements,” said Stein. “The bill is based on a nationally negotiated RV-specific model law that the national RV manufacturers’ and the national RV dealers’ associations agreed upon three years ago. I was very pleased to be the House sponsor of this legislation.”
McKay added that he is “proud that this bill is moving forward and hopes that this will bring fairness to our recreational vehicle industry.”
This legislation, like the ones recently passed in Wisconsin and Washington, creates a system that better reflects the relationship between RV manufacturers and dealers. It is the product of negotiation between the RV Industry Association and RV dealers in Maryland, both of whom strongly support its approval.
The RV Industry Association’s Government Affairs department has advocated for this legislation. Sophie de la Torre, the RV Industry Association’s Senior Manager of State Affairs, testified in support of the bill in the Maryland House Committee on Environment and Transportation on February 15. Likewise, Michael Ochs, the RV Industry Association’s director of state affairs, testified in its favor in the Judicial Proceedings Committee on February 22.
“Passage of this legislation will strengthen the viability of the RV industry in Maryland to the state’s benefit and that of consumers, manufacturers, and dealers alike,” stated Sophie de la Torre during her testimony. “This bill would place the RV industry in a separate chapter from the auto industry, finally allowing these two industries to operate separately under law as they do in reality. HB 605 and SB 504 are designed to be fair, reciprocal, and reasonable to all stakeholders.”
Greg Merkel, president of Leo’s Vacation Center in Gambrills, Maryland, added, “It is great to know that Maryland will finally have a law between the manufacturers and the dealers to define the requirements between them. This will benefit all parties including the RV consumer. I would like to thank the RV Industry Association and the RV Dealers Association for their support in getting this law passed.”
For more information, see the full article on the RVIA website here.
