RV-Specific Franchise Bill Introduced in Ohio

Last week, Ohio State Senator Andrew Brenner (R-19), who is also a Senate Transportation Committee Member, introduced an RV-specific franchise bill. Senate Bill 306 is based primarily on the RV Industry Association and RV Dealers Association's Model Manufacturer-Dealer Agreement legislation.

The bill would add to the current franchise law definitions of “recreational vehicle franchise,” “recreational vehicle franchisor,” and “recreational vehicle franchisee.” It would also include a provision that specifically exempts RV franchises from the main sections of the automobile franchise law in sections 4517.50 to 4517.65 of the Ohio Revised Code. The RV-specific franchise obligations would be contained in new sections 4517.70 to 4517.79.

Senator Brenner anticipates that the bill will be referred to the Transportation Committee when the Legislature returns from its current recess in early November and that a hearing will be held shortly afterwards. The RV Industry Association is supportive of this bill and would plan to testify in favor of it at any future hearing.

Over the years, the RV industry has worked to establish exemptions from parts of the automobile franchise law because many provisions do not pertain to the RV industry or are handled differently by RV manufacturers and dealers than by the automobile industry. As an extension of these efforts, the RV Industry Association has 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 business and consumers.

The RV Industry Association thanks Senator Brenner for his leadership on this important issue.

Similar RV-specific franchise laws have been approved earlier this year in Wisconsin, Washington, and Maryland.