Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Auto franchise bill stalls after hours of debate over digital-platform definition, cybersecurity and special tools
Summary
A measure to update Arkansas' motor-vehicle franchise law, including a new "digital platform" definition and vendor-choice provisions, failed in committee after dealers, manufacturers and lawmakers debated cybersecurity, special tools and whether the bill would hamper data protections.
A proposed rewrite of Arkansas’ Motor Vehicle Franchise Act involving digital platforms and dealer rights failed to pass the Senate Transportation, Technology & Legislative Affairs committee after extended testimony from dealers and automobile manufacturers.
Representative Jeff Wardlaw presented what he characterized as cleanup and modernization to let dealers control dealer-owned digital assets and to prevent manufacturers from unduly restricting dealer websites and sales opportunities. He said the bill is intended to help small, rural dealers that cannot meet high inventory thresholds imposed through some manufacturer digital…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
