This week, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation, HB 605, to create an RV-specific franchise law governing manufacturer-dealer relationships for towable RVs.
The bill will now head to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore for his signature.
Similar legislation was recently passed in Wisconsin and Washington to create a system better reflecting RV manufacturer and dealer relationships. The law will establish exemptions from parts of the automobile franchise law that do not apply to or differentiate from the RV industry.
RVIA collaborated with RV dealers in Maryland to establish the bill.
According to RVIA Senior Manager of State Affairs Sophie de la Torre, the law will benefit manufacturers and dealers.
“This bill would place the RV industry in a separate chapter from the auto industry,” she said, “finally allowing these two industries to operate separately under law as they do in reality.”
She testified in support of the bill in the Maryland House Committee on Environment and Transportation Feb. 15. RVIA Director of State Affairs Michael Ochs testified in favor of the bill at the Judicial Proceedings Committee Feb. 22.
RVIA advocated for an RV-specific franchise law to place the manufacturer-dealer relationship for towable RVs in a separate chapter of law, creating more clarity for RV businesses and consumers.
