An Act Regarding the Law Governing Recreational Vehicle Manufacturers, Distributors and Dealers
Sec. 1. 10 MRSA §1171, sub-§11, as amended by PL 1997, c. 473, §1, is further amended to read:
Sec. 2. 10 MRSA §1361, sub-§8, as amended by PL 1997, c. 427, §1, is further amended to read:
Sec. 3. 10 MRSA §1432, sub-§1-A is enacted to read:
Sec. 4. 10 MRSA §1432, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 427, §2, is amended to read:
Sec. 5. 10 MRSA §1432, sub-§8-A is enacted to read:
Sec. 6. 10 MRSA §1432, sub-§10, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 427, §2, is amended to read:
Sec. 7. 10 MRSA §1432, sub-§10-A is enacted to read:
Sec. 8. 10 MRSA §1432, sub-§12-A is enacted to read:
Sec. 9. 10 MRSA §1432, sub-§13-A is enacted to read:
Sec. 10. 10 MRSA §1432, sub-§16-A is enacted to read:
Sec. 11. 10 MRSA §1432, sub-§18, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 427, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 12. 10 MRSA §1432, sub-§18-A is enacted to read:
Sec. 13. 10 MRSA §1432, sub-§19-A is enacted to read:
Sec. 14. 10 MRSA §1432, sub-§20-A is enacted to read:
Sec. 15. 10 MRSA §1432, sub-§21, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 427, §2, is amended to read:
Sec. 16. 10 MRSA §1432, sub-§23 is enacted to read:
Sec. 17. 10 MRSA §1434, sub-§3, ¶J, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 427, §2, is amended to read:
Sec. 18. 10 MRSA §1434-A is enacted to read:
§ 1434-A. Termination, cancellation and nonrenewal of a dealer agreement
(1) A dealer or one of its owners is convicted of or enters a plea of nolo contendere to murder or a Class A, Class B or Class C crime for which a sentence of imprisonment of one year or more is imposed under Title 17-A, section 1251 or 1252;
(2) A dealer abandons or closes the dealer's business operations for 10 consecutive business days unless the closing is due to an act of God, strike, labor difficulty or other cause over which the dealer has no control;
(3) There is a significant misrepresentation by the dealer materially affecting the business relationship between the dealer and the manufacturer or distributor;
(4) The dealer's license has been suspended or revoked or has not been renewed;
(5) The dealer commits a material violation of this chapter that is not cured within 30 days after receipt of a written notice by the manufacturer or distributor;
(6) There is a declaration by the dealer of bankruptcy or insolvency or the occurrence of an assignment for the benefit of creditors or bankruptcy; or
(7) A dealer fails to notify in writing the manufacturer or distributor at least 30 days prior to entering into a dealer agreement with a manufacturer or distributor of a competing, similar line make.
The notice requirements of this paragraph do not apply if the reason for termination, cancellation or nonrenewal is the dealer's insolvency, the occurrence of an assignment for the benefit of creditors or the dealer's bankruptcy.
(1) A manufacturer or distributor is convicted of, or enters a plea of nolo contendere to, murder or a Class A, Class B or Class C crime for which a sentence of imprisonment of one year or more is imposed under Title 17-A, section 1251 or 1252;
(2) The business operations of the manufacturer or distributor have been abandoned or closed for 10 consecutive business days, unless the closing is due to an act of God, strike, labor difficulty or other cause over which the manufacturer or distributor has no control;
(3) There is a significant misrepresentation by the manufacturer or distributor materially affecting the business relationship between the dealer and the manufacturer or distributor;
(4) The manufacturer or distributor commits a material violation of this chapter that is not cured within 30 days after receipt of a written notice by the dealer; or
(5) There is a declaration by the manufacturer or distributor of bankruptcy or insolvency or the occurrence of an assignment for the benefit of creditors or bankruptcy.
Sec. 19. 10 MRSA §1437, sub-§1, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 427, §2, is amended to read:
Sec. 20. 10 MRSA §1437, sub-§2, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 427, §2, is amended to read:
Sec. 21. 10 MRSA §1439, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 427, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 22. 10 MRSA §1439-A is enacted to read:
§ 1439-A. Warranty
Sec. 23. 10 MRSA §1440, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 427, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 24. 10 MRSA §1440-A is enacted to read:
§ 1440-A. Mediation
Sec. 25. 10 MRSA §1440-B is enacted to read:
§ 1440-B. Indemnification
Sec. 26. 10 MRSA §1441, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 427, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 27. 10 MRSA §1442, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 427, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 28. 10 MRSA §1442-A is enacted to read:
§ 1442-A. Written agreements; designated territories
Sec. 29. 10 MRSA §1443, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 427, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 30. 10 MRSA §1447, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 427, §2, is amended to read:
§ 1447. Civil remedies
Any manufacturer, warrantor, dealer or recreational vehicle dealer who has been damaged by reason of a violation of a provision of this chapter may bring an action to enjoin that violation a person from acting as a dealer without being properly licensed, from violating or continuing to violate any of the provisions of this chapter, or from failing or refusing to comply with the requirements of this chapter, and to recover any damages arising from that violation of any part of this chapter. The injunction must be issued without bond. A single act in violation of the provisions of this chapter is sufficient to authorize the issuance of an injunction. A final judgment, order or decree rendered against a person in any civil, criminal or administrative proceeding under the federal antitrust laws, the Federal Trade Commission Act or under the Maine Revised Statutes is prima facie evidence against that person subject to the conditions set forth in the federal antitrust laws, 15 United States Code, Section 16. The court shall award attorney's fees and costs to the prevailing party in such an action.
Sec. 31. 10 MRSA §1447-A is enacted to read:
§ 1447-A. Venue
Venue for a civil action authorized by this chapter is exclusively in the county in which the dealer's business is located. In an action involving more than one dealer, venue may be in any county in which any dealer that is party to the action is located.
summary
This bill removes motorized recreational vehicles from the laws governing motor vehicle manufacturers, distributors and dealers and adds them to the laws governing nonmotorized recreational vehicles.