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Committee advances RV manufacturer–dealer agreement bill after amendment
Summary
The committee passed SB 484, creating a manufacturer–dealer framework for recreational-vehicle sellers, approving an amendment to preserve current tax treatment for certain pop-up trailers.
The House Roads and Transportation Committee on Monday voted to pass Senate Bill 484, which creates a statutory framework for agreements between recreational-vehicle (RV) manufacturers and dealers. The committee passed the bill as amended by a motion accepted during the hearing; the roll call recorded the bill as passing 12-0.
Sponsor testimony and industry witnesses described SB 484 as tailored to the RV industry’s business model, where one dealer commonly sells multiple manufacturers’ products rather than the single-manufacturer franchise structure used by auto dealers. The bill places RV manufacturer–dealer relationships in a separate chapter of law and includes provisions on warranty handling, dealer stability and arrangements for multi-brand lots.
Industry witnesses said the bill largely represents multi-year negotiations among manufacturers, dealers and trade groups. Ron Breymayer, executive director of the RV Indiana Council, told the committee the language took three years to finalize and argued the agreement would help consumers by improving warranty and recall handling. Sophia de la Torre, senior manager of government affairs at the RV Industry Association, said the measure would strengthen Indiana’s RV industry and benefit consumers and manufacturers.
An amendment adopted during the hearing addressed a tax issue raised by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles: pop-up towable trailers initially would have been reclassified and taxed differently. The amendment preserves their current taxation by allowing them to be treated as a 3,000-pound utility trailer for tax purposes, preventing a higher BMV classification, the bill’s proponent said.
Committee members asked about a Sunday-sales provision that mimics longstanding auto-dealer practice prohibiting sales of motorized vehicles on Sundays except at shows; witnesses said the provision mirrors current industry practice and allows dealer shows where multiple manufacturers and dealers coordinate sales and representation. The committee passed the amended bill 12-0, sending it to the next stage of the legislative process.
Key testimony - Ron Breymayer, RV Indiana Council: said the bill “unites the RV manufacturers, the RV dealers in an agreement that has taken us three years to work out.” - Ken Eckstein, longtime RV dealer: said the bill creates clarity and expectations and is not intended to impose new restrictions. - Sophia de la Torre, RV Industry Association: described the bill as a negotiated solution that places RV dealer–manufacturer relations in a separate statutory chapter and said it would benefit consumers and the state’s economy.
The committee recorded a roll-call vote of 12-0 to pass SB 484 as amended.
