Yesterday, HB 4673 passed the House Agriculture Committee on a party-line vote of 8-5 with all Democrats on the committee voting in favor. The bill is now referred to a second reading and a potential floor vote in the house.
The bill that passed included significant amendments to the original bill introduced. Many of these amendments are attributable to the changes NAEDA advocated for on behalf of dealers. These major revisions include the removal of parts at dealer net cost, eliminating a private cause of action against dealers, the inclusion of an MOU provision, and removing dealers from enforcement by the Attorney General (enforcement is solely against OEMs).
That is not to say we are neutral on the bill. We are still opposing the legislation and working to stop passage while seeking further amendments. With Democratic majorities in both chambers and control of the executive branch, that is a tall order.
NAEDA will be meeting with the Speaker’s office next week to share our concerns about the bill. The legislature is aiming to adjourn for the year sometime in early November. The actual date is a moving target with best guesses around the 9th. It’s unclear whether the bill will be scheduled for a vote by then. However, the bill will be carried over to next year in the event it’s not voted on before the legislature adjourns this year.
Moving forward, we will keep you up to date on any changes in the status or substance of the bill and any actions that need to be taken. If you have any questions about the legislation or the process, please contact Eric Wareham at ewareham@naeda.com.