Bill Amendment: IL HB2432 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly
NOTE: For additional amemendments please see the Bill Drafting List
Bill Title: VEH CD-RELOCATOR PERMIT FEE
Status: 2026-04-17 - House Floor Amendment No. 2 Rule 19(c) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB2432 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2025-HB2432-House_Amendment_001.html
Bill Title: VEH CD-RELOCATOR PERMIT FEE
Status: 2026-04-17 - House Floor Amendment No. 2 Rule 19(c) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB2432 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2025-HB2432-House_Amendment_001.html
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| 1 | AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 2432 | ||||||
| 2 | AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2432 on page 1, | ||||||
| 3 | immediately after line 18, by inserting the following: | ||||||
| 4 | "Section 10. The Motor Vehicle Franchise Act is amended by | ||||||
| 5 | changing Sections 2, 4, and 6 as follows: | ||||||
| 6 | (815 ILCS 710/2) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 752) | ||||||
| 7 | Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act, the following | ||||||
| 8 | words shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the | ||||||
| 9 | following meanings: | ||||||
| 10 | (a) "Motor vehicle", any motor driven vehicle required to | ||||||
| 11 | be registered under "The Illinois Vehicle Code". Beginning | ||||||
| 12 | January 1, 2010, the term "motor vehicle" also includes any | ||||||
| 13 | engine, transmission, or rear axle, regardless of whether it | ||||||
| 14 | is attached to a vehicle chassis, that is manufactured for | ||||||
| 15 | installation in any motor-driven vehicle with a gross vehicle | ||||||
| 16 | weight rating of more than 16,000 pounds that is required to be | ||||||
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| 1 | registered under the Illinois Vehicle Code. | ||||||
| 2 | (b) "Manufacturer", any person engaged in the business of | ||||||
| 3 | manufacturing or assembling new and unused motor vehicles. | ||||||
| 4 | "Manufacturer" includes a factory branch, distributor, and | ||||||
| 5 | distributor branch. | ||||||
| 6 | (c) "Factory branch", a branch office maintained by a | ||||||
| 7 | manufacturer which manufactures or assembles motor vehicles | ||||||
| 8 | for sale to distributors or motor vehicle dealers or which is | ||||||
| 9 | maintained for directing and supervising the representatives | ||||||
| 10 | of the manufacturer. | ||||||
| 11 | (d) "Distributor branch", a branch office maintained by a | ||||||
| 12 | distributor or wholesaler who or which sells or distributes | ||||||
| 13 | new or used motor vehicles to motor vehicle dealers. | ||||||
| 14 | (e) "Factory representative", a representative employed by | ||||||
| 15 | a manufacturer or employed by a factory branch for the purpose | ||||||
| 16 | of making or promoting the sale of motor vehicles or for | ||||||
| 17 | contracting with, supervising, servicing or instructing motor | ||||||
| 18 | vehicle dealers or prospective motor vehicle dealers. | ||||||
| 19 | (f) "Distributor representative", a representative | ||||||
| 20 | employed by a distributor branch, distributor or wholesaler. | ||||||
| 21 | (g) "Distributor" or "wholesaler", any person who sells or | ||||||
| 22 | distributes new or used motor vehicles to motor vehicle | ||||||
| 23 | dealers or who maintains distributor representatives within | ||||||
| 24 | the State. | ||||||
| 25 | (h) "Motor vehicle dealer", any person who, in the | ||||||
| 26 | ordinary course of business, is engaged in the business of | ||||||
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| 1 | selling new or used motor vehicles to consumers or other end | ||||||
| 2 | users. | ||||||
| 3 | (i) "Franchise", an oral or written arrangement for a | ||||||
| 4 | definite or indefinite period in which a manufacturer, | ||||||
| 5 | distributor or wholesaler grants to a motor vehicle dealer a | ||||||
| 6 | license to use a trade name, service mark, or related | ||||||
| 7 | characteristic, and in which there is a community of interest | ||||||
| 8 | in the marketing of motor vehicles or services related thereto | ||||||
| 9 | at wholesale, retail, leasing or otherwise. | ||||||
| 10 | (j) "Franchiser", a manufacturer, distributor or | ||||||
| 11 | wholesaler who grants a franchise to a motor vehicle dealer. | ||||||
| 12 | (k) "Franchisee", a motor vehicle dealer to whom a | ||||||
| 13 | franchise is offered or granted. | ||||||
| 14 | (l) "Sale", shall include the issuance, transfer, | ||||||
| 15 | agreement for transfer, exchange, pledge, hypothecation, | ||||||
| 16 | mortgage in any form, whether by transfer in trust or | ||||||
| 17 | otherwise, of any motor vehicle or interest therein or of any | ||||||
| 18 | franchise related thereto; and any option, subscription or | ||||||
| 19 | other contract or solicitation, looking to a sale, or offer or | ||||||
| 20 | attempt to sell in any form, whether oral or written. A gift or | ||||||
| 21 | delivery of any motor vehicle or franchise with respect | ||||||
| 22 | thereto with or as a bonus on account of the sale of anything | ||||||
| 23 | shall be deemed a sale of such motor vehicle or franchise. | ||||||
| 24 | (m) "Fraud", shall include, in addition to its normal | ||||||
| 25 | legal connotation, the following: a misrepresentation in any | ||||||
| 26 | manner, whether intentionally false or due to reckless | ||||||
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| 1 | disregard for truth or falsity, of a material fact; a promise | ||||||
| 2 | or representation not made honestly and in good faith; and an | ||||||
| 3 | intentional failure to disclose a material fact. | ||||||
| 4 | (n) "Person", a natural person, corporation, partnership, | ||||||
| 5 | trust or other entity, and in case of an entity, it shall | ||||||
| 6 | include any other entity in which it has a majority interest or | ||||||
| 7 | which it effectively controls as well as the individual | ||||||
| 8 | officers, directors and other persons in active control of the | ||||||
| 9 | activities of each such entity. | ||||||
| 10 | (o) "New motor vehicle", a motor vehicle which has not | ||||||
| 11 | been previously sold to any person except a distributor or | ||||||
| 12 | wholesaler or motor vehicle dealer for resale. | ||||||
| 13 | (p) "Market Area", the franchisee's area of primary | ||||||
| 14 | responsibility as defined in its franchise. | ||||||
| 15 | (q) "Relevant Market Area", the area within a radius of 10 | ||||||
| 16 | miles from the principal location of a franchise or dealership | ||||||
| 17 | if said principal location is in a county having a population | ||||||
| 18 | of more than 300,000 persons; if the principal location of a | ||||||
| 19 | franchise or dealership is in a county having a population of | ||||||
| 20 | less than 300,000 persons, then "relevant market area" shall | ||||||
| 21 | mean the area within a radius of 15 miles from the principal | ||||||
| 22 | location of said franchise or dealership. | ||||||
| 23 | (r) "Late model vehicle" means a vehicle of the current | ||||||
| 24 | model year and one, 2, or 3 preceding model years for which the | ||||||
| 25 | motor vehicle dealer holds an existing franchise from the | ||||||
| 26 | manufacturer for that same line make. | ||||||
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| 1 | (s) "Factory repurchase vehicle" means a motor vehicle of | ||||||
| 2 | the current model year or a late model vehicle reacquired by | ||||||
| 3 | the manufacturer under an existing agreement or otherwise from | ||||||
| 4 | a fleet, lease or daily rental company or under any State or | ||||||
| 5 | federal law or program relating to allegedly defective new | ||||||
| 6 | motor vehicles, and offered for sale and resold by the | ||||||
| 7 | manufacturer directly or at a factory authorized or sponsored | ||||||
| 8 | auction. | ||||||
| 9 | (t) "Board" means the Motor Vehicle Review Board created | ||||||
| 10 | under this Act. | ||||||
| 11 | (u) "Secretary of State" means the Secretary of State of | ||||||
| 12 | Illinois. | ||||||
| 13 | (v) "Good cause" means facts establishing commercial | ||||||
| 14 | reasonableness in lawful or privileged competition and | ||||||
| 15 | business practices as defined at common law. | ||||||
| 16 | (w) "Common entity" means any person that: | ||||||
| 17 | (1) is directly or indirectly controlled by, or has | ||||||
| 18 | controlling equity interests owned, beneficially or of | ||||||
| 19 | record, through any form of ownership structure, by a | ||||||
| 20 | manufacturer, importer, distributor, or an affiliate | ||||||
| 21 | thereof; or | ||||||
| 22 | (2) shares common management with a manufacturer, | ||||||
| 23 | importer, distributor, or an affiliate thereof, where the | ||||||
| 24 | relationships create operational control over the | ||||||
| 25 | management or policies of that person. | ||||||
| 26 | "Common entity" does not include: | ||||||
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| 1 | (1) any person engaged in the manufacturing, assembly, | ||||||
| 2 | sale, or distribution of motor vehicle parts, components, | ||||||
| 3 | accessories, or vehicle services, provided the person is | ||||||
| 4 | not engaged in the sale or distribution of new motor | ||||||
| 5 | vehicles; or | ||||||
| 6 | (2) any financial institution chartered or authorized | ||||||
| 7 | to do business in this State, provided the financial | ||||||
| 8 | institution is not engaged in the sale or distribution of | ||||||
| 9 | new motor vehicles. | ||||||
| 10 | (Source: P.A. 100-308, eff. 8-24-17.) | ||||||
| 11 | (815 ILCS 710/4) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 754) | ||||||
| 12 | Sec. 4. Unfair competition and practices. | ||||||
| 13 | (a) The unfair methods of competition and unfair and | ||||||
| 14 | deceptive acts or practices listed in this Section are hereby | ||||||
| 15 | declared to be unlawful. In construing the provisions of this | ||||||
| 16 | Section, the courts may be guided by the interpretations of | ||||||
| 17 | the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 45 et seq.), as | ||||||
| 18 | from time to time amended. | ||||||
| 19 | (b) It shall be deemed a violation for any manufacturer, | ||||||
| 20 | factory branch, factory representative, distributor or | ||||||
| 21 | wholesaler, distributor branch, distributor representative or | ||||||
| 22 | motor vehicle dealer to engage in any action with respect to a | ||||||
| 23 | franchise which is arbitrary, in bad faith or unconscionable | ||||||
| 24 | and which causes damage to any of the parties or to the public, | ||||||
| 25 | including directly or indirectly competing with its | ||||||
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| 1 | franchisees in the sale, lease, or warranty service of new | ||||||
| 2 | motor vehicles. | ||||||
| 3 | (c) It shall be deemed a violation for a manufacturer, a | ||||||
| 4 | distributor, a wholesaler, a distributor branch or division, a | ||||||
| 5 | factory branch or division, or a wholesale branch or division, | ||||||
| 6 | or officer, agent or other representative thereof, to coerce, | ||||||
| 7 | or attempt to coerce, any motor vehicle dealer: | ||||||
| 8 | (1) to accept, buy or order any motor vehicle or | ||||||
| 9 | vehicles, appliances, equipment, parts or accessories | ||||||
| 10 | therefor, or any other commodity or commodities or service | ||||||
| 11 | or services which such motor vehicle dealer has not | ||||||
| 12 | voluntarily ordered or requested except items required by | ||||||
| 13 | applicable local, state or federal law; or to require a | ||||||
| 14 | motor vehicle dealer to accept, buy, order or purchase | ||||||
| 15 | such items in order to obtain any motor vehicle or | ||||||
| 16 | vehicles or any other commodity or commodities which have | ||||||
| 17 | been ordered or requested by such motor vehicle dealer; | ||||||
| 18 | (2) to order or accept delivery of any motor vehicle | ||||||
| 19 | with special features, appliances, accessories or | ||||||
| 20 | equipment not included in the list price of the motor | ||||||
| 21 | vehicles as publicly advertised by the manufacturer | ||||||
| 22 | thereof, except items required by applicable law; or | ||||||
| 23 | (3) to order for anyone any parts, accessories, | ||||||
| 24 | equipment, machinery, tools, appliances or any commodity | ||||||
| 25 | whatsoever, except items required by applicable law. | ||||||
| 26 | (c-5) A manufacturer, a distributor, a wholesaler, a | ||||||
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| 1 | distributor branch or division, a factory branch or division, | ||||||
| 2 | or a wholesale branch or division, or officer, agent, or other | ||||||
| 3 | representative thereof may not: | ||||||
| 4 | (1) require a motor vehicle dealer to offer a | ||||||
| 5 | secondary product; or | ||||||
| 6 | (2) prohibit a motor vehicle dealer from offering a | ||||||
| 7 | secondary product, including, but not limited to: | ||||||
| 8 | (A) service contracts; | ||||||
| 9 | (B) maintenance agreements; | ||||||
| 10 | (C) extended warranties; | ||||||
| 11 | (D) protection product guarantees; | ||||||
| 12 | (E) guaranteed asset protection waivers; | ||||||
| 13 | (F) insurance; | ||||||
| 14 | (G) replacement parts; | ||||||
| 15 | (H) vehicle accessories; | ||||||
| 16 | (I) oil; or | ||||||
| 17 | (J) supplies. | ||||||
| 18 | It is not a violation of this subsection to offer an | ||||||
| 19 | incentive program to motor vehicle dealers to encourage them | ||||||
| 20 | to sell or offer to sell a secondary product approved, | ||||||
| 21 | endorsed, sponsored, or offered by the manufacturer, | ||||||
| 22 | distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, | ||||||
| 23 | factory branch or division, wholesale branch or division, or | ||||||
| 24 | officer, agent, or other representative thereof, provided the | ||||||
| 25 | program does not provide vehicle sales or service incentives. | ||||||
| 26 | It is not a violation of this subsection to prohibit a | ||||||
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| 1 | motor vehicle dealer from using secondary products for any | ||||||
| 2 | repair work paid for under the terms of a warranty, recall, | ||||||
| 3 | service contract, extended warranty, maintenance plan, or | ||||||
| 4 | certified pre-owned vehicle program established or offered by | ||||||
| 5 | the manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch | ||||||
| 6 | or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch | ||||||
| 7 | or division, or officer, agent, or other representative | ||||||
| 8 | thereof. | ||||||
| 9 | As used in this subsection, "secondary product" means all | ||||||
| 10 | products that are not new motor vehicles or original equipment | ||||||
| 11 | manufacturer parts. | ||||||
| 12 | (d) It shall be deemed a violation for a manufacturer, a | ||||||
| 13 | distributor, a wholesaler, a distributor branch or division, | ||||||
| 14 | or officer, agent or other representative thereof: | ||||||
| 15 | (1) to adopt, change, establish or implement a plan or | ||||||
| 16 | system for the allocation and distribution of new motor | ||||||
| 17 | vehicles to motor vehicle dealers which is arbitrary or | ||||||
| 18 | capricious or to modify an existing plan so as to cause the | ||||||
| 19 | same to be arbitrary or capricious; | ||||||
| 20 | (2) to fail or refuse to advise or disclose to any | ||||||
| 21 | motor vehicle dealer having a franchise or selling | ||||||
| 22 | agreement, upon written request therefor, the basis upon | ||||||
| 23 | which new motor vehicles of the same line make are | ||||||
| 24 | allocated or distributed to motor vehicle dealers in the | ||||||
| 25 | State and the basis upon which the current allocation or | ||||||
| 26 | distribution is being made or will be made to such motor | ||||||
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| 1 | vehicle dealer; | ||||||
| 2 | (3) to refuse to deliver in reasonable quantities and | ||||||
| 3 | within a reasonable time after receipt of dealer's order, | ||||||
| 4 | to any motor vehicle dealer having a franchise or selling | ||||||
| 5 | agreement for the retail sale of new motor vehicles sold | ||||||
| 6 | or distributed by such manufacturer, distributor, | ||||||
| 7 | wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch | ||||||
| 8 | or division or wholesale branch or division, any such | ||||||
| 9 | motor vehicles as are covered by such franchise or selling | ||||||
| 10 | agreement specifically publicly advertised in the State by | ||||||
| 11 | such manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor | ||||||
| 12 | branch or division, factory branch or division, or | ||||||
| 13 | wholesale branch or division to be available for immediate | ||||||
| 14 | delivery. However, the failure to deliver any motor | ||||||
| 15 | vehicle shall not be considered a violation of this Act if | ||||||
| 16 | such failure is due to an act of God, a work stoppage or | ||||||
| 17 | delay due to a strike or labor difficulty, a shortage of | ||||||
| 18 | materials, a lack of manufacturing capacity, a freight | ||||||
| 19 | embargo or other cause over which the manufacturer, | ||||||
| 20 | distributor, or wholesaler, or any agent thereof has no | ||||||
| 21 | control; | ||||||
| 22 | (4) to coerce, or attempt to coerce, any motor vehicle | ||||||
| 23 | dealer to enter into any agreement with such manufacturer, | ||||||
| 24 | distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, | ||||||
| 25 | factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or | ||||||
| 26 | division, or officer, agent or other representative | ||||||
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| 1 | thereof, or to do any other act prejudicial to the dealer | ||||||
| 2 | by threatening to reduce his allocation of motor vehicles | ||||||
| 3 | or cancel any franchise or any selling agreement existing | ||||||
| 4 | between such manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, | ||||||
| 5 | distributor branch or division, or factory branch or | ||||||
| 6 | division, or wholesale branch or division, and the dealer. | ||||||
| 7 | However, notice in good faith to any motor vehicle dealer | ||||||
| 8 | of the dealer's violation of any terms or provisions of | ||||||
| 9 | such franchise or selling agreement or of any law or | ||||||
| 10 | regulation applicable to the conduct of a motor vehicle | ||||||
| 11 | dealer shall not constitute a violation of this Act; | ||||||
| 12 | (5) to require a franchisee to participate in an | ||||||
| 13 | advertising campaign or contest or any promotional | ||||||
| 14 | campaign, or to purchase or lease any promotional | ||||||
| 15 | materials, training materials, show room or other display | ||||||
| 16 | decorations or materials at the expense of the franchisee; | ||||||
| 17 | (6) to cancel or terminate the franchise or selling | ||||||
| 18 | agreement of a motor vehicle dealer without good cause and | ||||||
| 19 | without giving notice as hereinafter provided; to fail or | ||||||
| 20 | refuse to extend the franchise or selling agreement of a | ||||||
| 21 | motor vehicle dealer upon its expiration without good | ||||||
| 22 | cause and without giving notice as hereinafter provided; | ||||||
| 23 | or, to offer a renewal, replacement or succeeding | ||||||
| 24 | franchise or selling agreement containing terms and | ||||||
| 25 | provisions the effect of which is to substantially change | ||||||
| 26 | or modify the sales and service obligations or capital | ||||||
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| 1 | requirements of the motor vehicle dealer arbitrarily and | ||||||
| 2 | without good cause and without giving notice as | ||||||
| 3 | hereinafter provided notwithstanding any term or provision | ||||||
| 4 | of a franchise or selling agreement. | ||||||
| 5 | (A) If a manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, | ||||||
| 6 | distributor branch or division, factory branch or | ||||||
| 7 | division or wholesale branch or division intends to | ||||||
| 8 | cancel or terminate a franchise or selling agreement | ||||||
| 9 | or intends not to extend or renew a franchise or | ||||||
| 10 | selling agreement on its expiration, it shall send a | ||||||
| 11 | letter by certified mail, return receipt requested, to | ||||||
| 12 | the affected franchisee at least 60 days before the | ||||||
| 13 | effective date of the proposed action, or not later | ||||||
| 14 | than 10 days before the proposed action when the | ||||||
| 15 | reason for the action is based upon either of the | ||||||
| 16 | following: | ||||||
| 17 | (i) the business operations of the franchisee | ||||||
| 18 | have been abandoned or the franchisee has failed | ||||||
| 19 | to conduct customary sales and service operations | ||||||
| 20 | during customary business hours for at least 7 | ||||||
| 21 | consecutive business days unless such closing is | ||||||
| 22 | due to an act of God, strike or labor difficulty or | ||||||
| 23 | other cause over which the franchisee has no | ||||||
| 24 | control; or | ||||||
| 25 | (ii) the conviction of or plea of nolo | ||||||
| 26 | contendere by the motor vehicle dealer or any | ||||||
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| 1 | operator thereof in a court of competent | ||||||
| 2 | jurisdiction to an offense punishable by | ||||||
| 3 | imprisonment for more than two years. | ||||||
| 4 | Each notice of proposed action shall include a | ||||||
| 5 | detailed statement setting forth the specific grounds | ||||||
| 6 | for the proposed cancellation, termination, or refusal | ||||||
| 7 | to extend or renew and shall state that the dealer has | ||||||
| 8 | only 30 days from receipt of the notice to file with | ||||||
| 9 | the Motor Vehicle Review Board a written protest | ||||||
| 10 | against the proposed action. | ||||||
| 11 | (B) If a manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, | ||||||
| 12 | distributor branch or division, factory branch or | ||||||
| 13 | division or wholesale branch or division intends to | ||||||
| 14 | change substantially or modify the sales and service | ||||||
| 15 | obligations or capital requirements of a motor vehicle | ||||||
| 16 | dealer as a condition to extending or renewing the | ||||||
| 17 | existing franchise or selling agreement of such motor | ||||||
| 18 | vehicle dealer, it shall send a letter by certified | ||||||
| 19 | mail, return receipt requested, to the affected | ||||||
| 20 | franchisee at least 60 days before the date of | ||||||
| 21 | expiration of the franchise or selling agreement. Each | ||||||
| 22 | notice of proposed action shall include a detailed | ||||||
| 23 | statement setting forth the specific grounds for the | ||||||
| 24 | proposed action and shall state that the dealer has | ||||||
| 25 | only 30 days from receipt of the notice to file with | ||||||
| 26 | the Motor Vehicle Review Board a written protest | ||||||
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| 1 | against the proposed action. | ||||||
| 2 | (C) Within 30 days from receipt of the notice | ||||||
| 3 | under subparagraphs (A) and (B), the franchisee may | ||||||
| 4 | file with the Board a written protest against the | ||||||
| 5 | proposed action. | ||||||
| 6 | When the protest has been timely filed, the Board | ||||||
| 7 | shall enter an order, fixing a date (within 60 days of | ||||||
| 8 | the date of the order), time, and place of a hearing on | ||||||
| 9 | the protest required under Sections 12 and 29 of this | ||||||
| 10 | Act, and send by certified mail, return receipt | ||||||
| 11 | requested, a copy of the order to the manufacturer | ||||||
| 12 | that filed the notice of intention of the proposed | ||||||
| 13 | action and to the protesting dealer or franchisee. | ||||||
| 14 | The manufacturer shall have the burden of proof to | ||||||
| 15 | establish that good cause exists to cancel or | ||||||
| 16 | terminate, or fail to extend or renew the franchise or | ||||||
| 17 | selling agreement of a motor vehicle dealer or | ||||||
| 18 | franchisee, and to change substantially or modify the | ||||||
| 19 | sales and service obligations or capital requirements | ||||||
| 20 | of a motor vehicle dealer as a condition to extending | ||||||
| 21 | or renewing the existing franchise or selling | ||||||
| 22 | agreement. The determination whether good cause exists | ||||||
| 23 | to cancel, terminate, or refuse to renew or extend the | ||||||
| 24 | franchise or selling agreement, or to change or modify | ||||||
| 25 | the obligations of the dealer as a condition to offer | ||||||
| 26 | renewal, replacement, or succession shall be made by | ||||||
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| 1 | the Board under subsection (d) of Section 12 of this | ||||||
| 2 | Act. | ||||||
| 3 | (D) Notwithstanding the terms, conditions, or | ||||||
| 4 | provisions of a franchise or selling agreement, the | ||||||
| 5 | following shall not constitute good cause for | ||||||
| 6 | cancelling or terminating or failing to extend or | ||||||
| 7 | renew the franchise or selling agreement: (i) the | ||||||
| 8 | change of ownership or executive management of the | ||||||
| 9 | franchisee's dealership; or (ii) the fact that the | ||||||
| 10 | franchisee or owner of an interest in the franchise | ||||||
| 11 | owns, has an investment in, participates in the | ||||||
| 12 | management of, or holds a license for the sale of the | ||||||
| 13 | same or any other line make of new motor vehicles. | ||||||
| 14 | (E) The manufacturer may not cancel or terminate, | ||||||
| 15 | or fail to extend or renew a franchise or selling | ||||||
| 16 | agreement or change or modify the obligations of the | ||||||
| 17 | franchisee as a condition to offering a renewal, | ||||||
| 18 | replacement, or succeeding franchise or selling | ||||||
| 19 | agreement before the hearing process is concluded as | ||||||
| 20 | prescribed by this Act, and thereafter, if the Board | ||||||
| 21 | determines that the manufacturer has failed to meet | ||||||
| 22 | its burden of proof and that good cause does not exist | ||||||
| 23 | to allow the proposed action; | ||||||
| 24 | (7) notwithstanding the terms of any franchise | ||||||
| 25 | agreement, to fail to indemnify and hold harmless its | ||||||
| 26 | franchised dealers against any judgment or settlement for | ||||||
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| 1 | damages, including, but not limited to, court costs, | ||||||
| 2 | expert witness fees, reasonable attorneys' fees of the new | ||||||
| 3 | motor vehicle dealer, and other expenses incurred in the | ||||||
| 4 | litigation, so long as such fees and costs are reasonable, | ||||||
| 5 | arising out of complaints, claims, or lawsuits, including, | ||||||
| 6 | but not limited to, strict liability, negligence, | ||||||
| 7 | misrepresentation, warranty (express or implied), or | ||||||
| 8 | rescission of the sale as defined in Section 2-608 of the | ||||||
| 9 | Uniform Commercial Code, to the extent that the judgment | ||||||
| 10 | or settlement relates to the alleged defective or | ||||||
| 11 | negligent manufacture, assembly or design of new motor | ||||||
| 12 | vehicles, parts or accessories or other functions by the | ||||||
| 13 | manufacturer, beyond the control of the dealer; provided | ||||||
| 14 | that, in order to provide an adequate defense, the | ||||||
| 15 | manufacturer receives notice of the filing of a complaint, | ||||||
| 16 | claim, or lawsuit within 60 days after the filing; | ||||||
| 17 | (8) to require or otherwise coerce a motor vehicle | ||||||
| 18 | dealer to underutilize the motor vehicle dealer's | ||||||
| 19 | facilities by requiring or otherwise coercing the motor | ||||||
| 20 | vehicle dealer to exclude or remove from the motor vehicle | ||||||
| 21 | dealer's facilities operations for selling or servicing of | ||||||
| 22 | any vehicles for which the motor vehicle dealer has a | ||||||
| 23 | franchise agreement with another manufacturer, | ||||||
| 24 | distributor, wholesaler, distribution branch or division, | ||||||
| 25 | or officer, agent, or other representative thereof; | ||||||
| 26 | provided, however, that, in light of all existing | ||||||
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| 1 | circumstances, (i) the motor vehicle dealer maintains a | ||||||
| 2 | reasonable line of credit for each make or line of new | ||||||
| 3 | motor vehicle, (ii) the new motor vehicle dealer remains | ||||||
| 4 | in compliance with any reasonable facilities requirements | ||||||
| 5 | of the manufacturer, (iii) no change is made in the | ||||||
| 6 | principal management of the new motor vehicle dealer, and | ||||||
| 7 | (iv) the addition of the make or line of new motor vehicles | ||||||
| 8 | would be reasonable. The reasonable facilities requirement | ||||||
| 9 | set forth in item (ii) of subsection (d)(8) shall not | ||||||
| 10 | include any requirement that a franchisee establish or | ||||||
| 11 | maintain exclusive facilities, personnel, or display | ||||||
| 12 | space. Any decision by a motor vehicle dealer to sell | ||||||
| 13 | additional makes or lines at the motor vehicle dealer's | ||||||
| 14 | facility shall be presumed to be reasonable, and the | ||||||
| 15 | manufacturer shall have the burden to overcome that | ||||||
| 16 | presumption. A motor vehicle dealer must provide a written | ||||||
| 17 | notification of its intent to add a make or line of new | ||||||
| 18 | motor vehicles to the manufacturer. If the manufacturer | ||||||
| 19 | does not respond to the motor vehicle dealer, in writing, | ||||||
| 20 | objecting to the addition of the make or line within 60 | ||||||
| 21 | days after the date that the motor vehicle dealer sends | ||||||
| 22 | the written notification, then the manufacturer shall be | ||||||
| 23 | deemed to have approved the addition of the make or line; | ||||||
| 24 | (9) to use or consider the performance of a motor | ||||||
| 25 | vehicle dealer relating to the sale of the manufacturer's, | ||||||
| 26 | distributor's, or wholesaler's vehicles or the motor | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | vehicle dealer's ability to satisfy any minimum sales or | ||||||
| 2 | market share quota or responsibility relating to the sale | ||||||
| 3 | of the manufacturer's, distributor's, or wholesaler's new | ||||||
| 4 | vehicles in determining: | ||||||
| 5 | (A) the motor vehicle dealer's eligibility to | ||||||
| 6 | purchase program, certified, or other used motor | ||||||
| 7 | vehicles from the manufacturer, distributor, or | ||||||
| 8 | wholesaler; | ||||||
| 9 | (B) the volume, type, or model of program, | ||||||
| 10 | certified, or other used motor vehicles that a motor | ||||||
| 11 | vehicle dealer is eligible to purchase from the | ||||||
| 12 | manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler; | ||||||
| 13 | (C) the price of any program, certified, or other | ||||||
| 14 | used motor vehicle that the dealer is eligible to | ||||||
| 15 | purchase from the manufacturer, distributor, or | ||||||
| 16 | wholesaler; or | ||||||
| 17 | (D) the availability or amount of any discount, | ||||||
| 18 | credit, rebate, or sales incentive that the dealer is | ||||||
| 19 | eligible to receive from the manufacturer, | ||||||
| 20 | distributor, or wholesaler for the purchase of any | ||||||
| 21 | program, certified, or other used motor vehicle | ||||||
| 22 | offered for sale by the manufacturer, distributor, or | ||||||
| 23 | wholesaler; | ||||||
| 24 | (10) to take any adverse action against a dealer | ||||||
| 25 | pursuant to an export or sale-for-resale prohibition | ||||||
| 26 | because the dealer sold or leased a vehicle to a customer | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | who either exported the vehicle to a foreign country or | ||||||
| 2 | resold the vehicle in violation of the prohibition, unless | ||||||
| 3 | the export or sale-for-resale prohibition policy was | ||||||
| 4 | provided to the dealer in writing either electronically or | ||||||
| 5 | on paper, prior to the sale or lease, and the dealer knew | ||||||
| 6 | or reasonably should have known of the customer's intent | ||||||
| 7 | to export or resell the vehicle in violation of the | ||||||
| 8 | prohibition at the time of the sale or lease. If the dealer | ||||||
| 9 | causes the vehicle to be registered and titled in this or | ||||||
| 10 | any other state, and collects or causes to be collected | ||||||
| 11 | any applicable sales or use tax to this State, a | ||||||
| 12 | rebuttable presumption is established that the dealer did | ||||||
| 13 | not have reason to know of the customer's intent to resell | ||||||
| 14 | the vehicle; | ||||||
| 15 | (11) to coerce or require any dealer to construct | ||||||
| 16 | improvements to his or her facilities or to install new | ||||||
| 17 | signs or other franchiser image elements that replace or | ||||||
| 18 | substantially alter those improvements, signs, or | ||||||
| 19 | franchiser image elements completed within the past 10 | ||||||
| 20 | years that were required and approved by the manufacturer | ||||||
| 21 | or one of its affiliates. The 10-year period under this | ||||||
| 22 | paragraph (11) begins to run for a dealer, including that | ||||||
| 23 | dealer's successors and assigns, on the date that the | ||||||
| 24 | manufacturer gives final written approval of the facility | ||||||
| 25 | improvements or installation of signs or other franchiser | ||||||
| 26 | image elements or the date that the dealer receives a | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | certificate of occupancy, whichever is later. For the | ||||||
| 2 | purpose of this paragraph (11), the term "substantially | ||||||
| 3 | alter" does not include routine maintenance, including, | ||||||
| 4 | but not limited to, interior painting, that is reasonably | ||||||
| 5 | necessary to keep a dealer facility in attractive | ||||||
| 6 | condition; or | ||||||
| 7 | (12) to require a dealer to purchase goods or services | ||||||
| 8 | to make improvements to the dealer's facilities from a | ||||||
| 9 | vendor selected, identified, or designated by a | ||||||
| 10 | manufacturer or one of its affiliates by agreement, | ||||||
| 11 | program, incentive provision, or otherwise without making | ||||||
| 12 | available to the dealer the option to obtain the goods or | ||||||
| 13 | services of substantially similar quality and overall | ||||||
| 14 | design from a vendor chosen by the dealer and approved by | ||||||
| 15 | the manufacturer; however, approval by the manufacturer | ||||||
| 16 | shall not be unreasonably withheld, and the dealer's | ||||||
| 17 | option to select a vendor shall not be available if the | ||||||
| 18 | manufacturer provides substantial reimbursement for the | ||||||
| 19 | goods or services offered. "Substantial reimbursement" | ||||||
| 20 | means an amount equal to or greater than the cost savings | ||||||
| 21 | that would result if the dealer were to utilize a vendor of | ||||||
| 22 | the dealer's own selection instead of using the vendor | ||||||
| 23 | identified by the manufacturer. For the purpose of this | ||||||
| 24 | paragraph (12), the term "goods" does not include movable | ||||||
| 25 | displays, brochures, and promotional materials containing | ||||||
| 26 | material subject to the intellectual property rights of a | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | manufacturer. If signs, other than signs containing the | ||||||
| 2 | manufacturer's brand or logo or free-standing signs that | ||||||
| 3 | are not directly attached to a building, or other | ||||||
| 4 | franchiser image or design elements or trade dress are to | ||||||
| 5 | be leased to the dealer by a vendor selected, identified, | ||||||
| 6 | or designated by the manufacturer, the dealer has the | ||||||
| 7 | right to purchase the signs or other franchiser image or | ||||||
| 8 | design elements or trade dress of substantially similar | ||||||
| 9 | quality and design from a vendor selected by the dealer if | ||||||
| 10 | the signs, franchiser image or design elements, or trade | ||||||
| 11 | dress are approved by the manufacturer. Approval by the | ||||||
| 12 | manufacturer shall not be unreasonably withheld. This | ||||||
| 13 | paragraph (12) shall not be construed to allow a dealer or | ||||||
| 14 | vendor to impair, infringe upon, or eliminate, directly or | ||||||
| 15 | indirectly, the intellectual property rights of the | ||||||
| 16 | manufacturer, including, but not limited to, the | ||||||
| 17 | manufacturer's intellectual property rights in any | ||||||
| 18 | trademarks or trade dress, or other intellectual property | ||||||
| 19 | interests owned or controlled by the manufacturer. This | ||||||
| 20 | paragraph (12) shall not be construed to permit a dealer | ||||||
| 21 | to erect or maintain signs that do not conform to the | ||||||
| 22 | manufacturer's intellectual property rights or trademark | ||||||
| 23 | or trade dress usage guidelines; or . | ||||||
| 24 | (13) to establish or utilize any common entity, | ||||||
| 25 | affiliate, or spin-off company to sell, lease, or | ||||||
| 26 | otherwise distribute new motor vehicles directly to | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | consumers or to circumvent the manufacturer's new motor | ||||||
| 2 | vehicle distribution obligations under this Act, if the | ||||||
| 3 | manufacturer, including any common entities, subsidiaries, | ||||||
| 4 | or affiliates, currently maintains or previously | ||||||
| 5 | maintained a franchise or selling agreement with a motor | ||||||
| 6 | vehicle dealer for the retail sale of motor vehicles in | ||||||
| 7 | this State. | ||||||
| 8 | (e) It shall be deemed a violation for a manufacturer, a | ||||||
| 9 | distributor, a wholesaler, a distributor branch or division or | ||||||
| 10 | officer, agent or other representative thereof: | ||||||
| 11 | (1) to resort to or use any false or misleading | ||||||
| 12 | advertisement in connection with his business as such | ||||||
| 13 | manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch | ||||||
| 14 | or division or officer, agent or other representative | ||||||
| 15 | thereof; | ||||||
| 16 | (2) to offer to sell or lease, or to sell or lease, any | ||||||
| 17 | new motor vehicle to any motor vehicle dealer at a lower | ||||||
| 18 | actual price therefor than the actual price offered to any | ||||||
| 19 | other motor vehicle dealer for the same model vehicle | ||||||
| 20 | similarly equipped or to utilize any device including, but | ||||||
| 21 | not limited to, sales promotion plans or programs which | ||||||
| 22 | result in such lesser actual price or fail to make | ||||||
| 23 | available to any motor vehicle dealer any preferential | ||||||
| 24 | pricing, incentive, rebate, finance rate, or low interest | ||||||
| 25 | loan program offered to competing motor vehicle dealers in | ||||||
| 26 | other contiguous states. However, the provisions of this | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | paragraph shall not apply to sales to a motor vehicle | ||||||
| 2 | dealer for resale to any unit of the United States | ||||||
| 3 | Government, the State or any of its political | ||||||
| 4 | subdivisions; | ||||||
| 5 | (3) to offer to sell or lease, or to sell or lease, any | ||||||
| 6 | new motor vehicle to any person, except a wholesaler, | ||||||
| 7 | distributor or manufacturer's employees at a lower actual | ||||||
| 8 | price therefor than the actual price offered and charged | ||||||
| 9 | to a motor vehicle dealer for the same model vehicle | ||||||
| 10 | similarly equipped or to utilize any device which results | ||||||
| 11 | in such lesser actual price. However, the provisions of | ||||||
| 12 | this paragraph shall not apply to sales to a motor vehicle | ||||||
| 13 | dealer for resale to any unit of the United States | ||||||
| 14 | Government, the State or any of its political | ||||||
| 15 | subdivisions; | ||||||
| 16 | (4) to prevent or attempt to prevent by contract or | ||||||
| 17 | otherwise any motor vehicle dealer or franchisee from | ||||||
| 18 | changing the executive management control of the motor | ||||||
| 19 | vehicle dealer or franchisee unless the franchiser, having | ||||||
| 20 | the burden of proof, proves that such change of executive | ||||||
| 21 | management will result in executive management control by | ||||||
| 22 | a person or persons who are not of good moral character or | ||||||
| 23 | who do not meet the franchiser's existing and, with | ||||||
| 24 | consideration given to the volume of sales and service of | ||||||
| 25 | the dealership, uniformly applied minimum business | ||||||
| 26 | experience standards in the market area. However, where | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | the manufacturer rejects a proposed change in executive | ||||||
| 2 | management control, the manufacturer shall give written | ||||||
| 3 | notice of his reasons to the dealer within 60 days of | ||||||
| 4 | notice to the manufacturer by the dealer of the proposed | ||||||
| 5 | change. If the manufacturer does not send a letter to the | ||||||
| 6 | franchisee by certified mail, return receipt requested, | ||||||
| 7 | within 60 days from receipt by the manufacturer of the | ||||||
| 8 | proposed change, then the change of the executive | ||||||
| 9 | management control of the franchisee shall be deemed | ||||||
| 10 | accepted as proposed by the franchisee, and the | ||||||
| 11 | manufacturer shall give immediate effect to such change; | ||||||
| 12 | (5) to prevent or attempt to prevent by contract or | ||||||
| 13 | otherwise any motor vehicle dealer from establishing or | ||||||
| 14 | changing the capital structure of his dealership or the | ||||||
| 15 | means by or through which he finances the operation | ||||||
| 16 | thereof; provided the dealer meets any reasonable capital | ||||||
| 17 | standards agreed to between the dealer and the | ||||||
| 18 | manufacturer, distributor or wholesaler, who may require | ||||||
| 19 | that the sources, method and manner by which the dealer | ||||||
| 20 | finances or intends to finance its operation, equipment or | ||||||
| 21 | facilities be fully disclosed; | ||||||
| 22 | (6) to refuse to give effect to or prevent or attempt | ||||||
| 23 | to prevent by contract or otherwise any motor vehicle | ||||||
| 24 | dealer or any officer, partner or stockholder of any motor | ||||||
| 25 | vehicle dealer from selling or transferring any part of | ||||||
| 26 | the interest of any of them to any other person or persons | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | or party or parties unless such sale or transfer is to a | ||||||
| 2 | transferee who would not otherwise qualify for a new motor | ||||||
| 3 | vehicle dealers license under the Illinois Vehicle Code or | ||||||
| 4 | unless the franchiser, having the burden of proof, proves | ||||||
| 5 | that such sale or transfer is to a person or party who is | ||||||
| 6 | not of good moral character or does not meet the | ||||||
| 7 | franchiser's existing and reasonable capital standards | ||||||
| 8 | and, with consideration given to the volume of sales and | ||||||
| 9 | service of the dealership, uniformly applied minimum | ||||||
| 10 | business experience standards in the market area. However, | ||||||
| 11 | nothing herein shall be construed to prevent a franchiser | ||||||
| 12 | from implementing affirmative action programs providing | ||||||
| 13 | business opportunities for minorities or from complying | ||||||
| 14 | with applicable federal, State or local law: | ||||||
| 15 | (A) If the manufacturer intends to refuse to | ||||||
| 16 | approve the sale or transfer of all or a part of the | ||||||
| 17 | interest, then it shall, within 60 days from receipt | ||||||
| 18 | of the completed application forms generally utilized | ||||||
| 19 | by a manufacturer to conduct its review and a copy of | ||||||
| 20 | all agreements regarding the proposed transfer, send a | ||||||
| 21 | letter by certified mail, return receipt requested, | ||||||
| 22 | advising the franchisee of any refusal to approve the | ||||||
| 23 | sale or transfer of all or part of the interest and | ||||||
| 24 | shall state that the dealer only has 30 days from the | ||||||
| 25 | receipt of the notice to file with the Motor Vehicle | ||||||
| 26 | Review Board a written protest against the proposed | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | action. The notice shall set forth specific criteria | ||||||
| 2 | used to evaluate the prospective transferee and the | ||||||
| 3 | grounds for refusing to approve the sale or transfer | ||||||
| 4 | to that transferee. Within 30 days from the | ||||||
| 5 | franchisee's receipt of the manufacturer's notice, the | ||||||
| 6 | franchisee may file with the Board a written protest | ||||||
| 7 | against the proposed action. | ||||||
| 8 | When a protest has been timely filed, the Board | ||||||
| 9 | shall enter an order, fixing the date (within 60 days | ||||||
| 10 | of the date of such order), time, and place of a | ||||||
| 11 | hearing on the protest, required under Sections 12 and | ||||||
| 12 | 29 of this Act, and send by certified mail, return | ||||||
| 13 | receipt requested, a copy of the order to the | ||||||
| 14 | manufacturer that filed notice of intention of the | ||||||
| 15 | proposed action and to the protesting franchisee. | ||||||
| 16 | The manufacturer shall have the burden of proof to | ||||||
| 17 | establish that good cause exists to refuse to approve | ||||||
| 18 | the sale or transfer to the transferee. The | ||||||
| 19 | determination whether good cause exists to refuse to | ||||||
| 20 | approve the sale or transfer shall be made by the Board | ||||||
| 21 | under subdivisions (6)(B). The manufacturer shall not | ||||||
| 22 | refuse to approve the sale or transfer by a dealer or | ||||||
| 23 | an officer, partner, or stockholder of a franchise or | ||||||
| 24 | any part of the interest to any person or persons | ||||||
| 25 | before the hearing process is concluded as prescribed | ||||||
| 26 | by this Act, and thereafter if the Board determines | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | that the manufacturer has failed to meet its burden of | ||||||
| 2 | proof and that good cause does not exist to refuse to | ||||||
| 3 | approve the sale or transfer to the transferee. | ||||||
| 4 | (B) Good cause to refuse to approve such sale or | ||||||
| 5 | transfer under this Section is established when such | ||||||
| 6 | sale or transfer is to a transferee who would not | ||||||
| 7 | otherwise qualify for a new motor vehicle dealers | ||||||
| 8 | license under the Illinois Vehicle Code or such sale | ||||||
| 9 | or transfer is to a person or party who is not of good | ||||||
| 10 | moral character or does not meet the franchiser's | ||||||
| 11 | existing and reasonable capital standards and, with | ||||||
| 12 | consideration given to the volume of sales and service | ||||||
| 13 | of the dealership, uniformly applied minimum business | ||||||
| 14 | experience standards in the market area. | ||||||
| 15 | (7) to obtain money, goods, services, anything of | ||||||
| 16 | value, or any other benefit from any other person with | ||||||
| 17 | whom the motor vehicle dealer does business, on account of | ||||||
| 18 | or in relation to the transactions between the dealer and | ||||||
| 19 | the other person as compensation, except for services | ||||||
| 20 | actually rendered, unless such benefit is promptly | ||||||
| 21 | accounted for and transmitted to the motor vehicle dealer; | ||||||
| 22 | (8) to grant an additional franchise in the relevant | ||||||
| 23 | market area of an existing franchise of the same line make | ||||||
| 24 | or to relocate an existing motor vehicle dealership within | ||||||
| 25 | or into a relevant market area of an existing franchise of | ||||||
| 26 | the same line make. However, if the manufacturer wishes to | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | grant such an additional franchise to an independent | ||||||
| 2 | person in a bona fide relationship in which such person is | ||||||
| 3 | prepared to make a significant investment subject to loss | ||||||
| 4 | in such a dealership, or if the manufacturer wishes to | ||||||
| 5 | relocate an existing motor vehicle dealership, then the | ||||||
| 6 | manufacturer shall send a letter by certified mail, return | ||||||
| 7 | receipt requested, to each existing dealer or dealers of | ||||||
| 8 | the same line make whose relevant market area includes the | ||||||
| 9 | proposed location of the additional or relocated franchise | ||||||
| 10 | at least 60 days before the manufacturer grants an | ||||||
| 11 | additional franchise or relocates an existing franchise of | ||||||
| 12 | the same line make within or into the relevant market area | ||||||
| 13 | of an existing franchisee of the same line make. Each | ||||||
| 14 | notice shall set forth the specific grounds for the | ||||||
| 15 | proposed grant of an additional or relocation of an | ||||||
| 16 | existing franchise and shall state that the dealer has | ||||||
| 17 | only 30 days from the date of receipt of the notice to file | ||||||
| 18 | with the Motor Vehicle Review Board a written protest | ||||||
| 19 | against the proposed action. Unless the parties agree upon | ||||||
| 20 | the grant or establishment of the additional or relocated | ||||||
| 21 | franchise within 30 days from the date the notice was | ||||||
| 22 | received by the existing franchisee of the same line make | ||||||
| 23 | or any person entitled to receive such notice, the | ||||||
| 24 | franchisee or other person may file with the Board a | ||||||
| 25 | written protest against the grant or establishment of the | ||||||
| 26 | proposed additional or relocated franchise. | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | When a protest has been timely filed, the Board shall | ||||||
| 2 | enter an order fixing a date (within 60 days of the date of | ||||||
| 3 | the order), time, and place of a hearing on the protest, | ||||||
| 4 | required under Sections 12 and 29 of this Act, and send by | ||||||
| 5 | certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, a | ||||||
| 6 | copy of the order to the manufacturer that filed the | ||||||
| 7 | notice of intention to grant or establish the proposed | ||||||
| 8 | additional or relocated franchise and to the protesting | ||||||
| 9 | dealer or dealers of the same line make whose relevant | ||||||
| 10 | market area includes the proposed location of the | ||||||
| 11 | additional or relocated franchise. | ||||||
| 12 | When more than one protest is filed against the grant | ||||||
| 13 | or establishment of the additional or relocated franchise | ||||||
| 14 | of the same line make, the Board may consolidate the | ||||||
| 15 | hearings to expedite disposition of the matter. The | ||||||
| 16 | manufacturer shall have the burden of proof to establish | ||||||
| 17 | that good cause exists to allow the grant or establishment | ||||||
| 18 | of the additional or relocated franchise. The manufacturer | ||||||
| 19 | may not grant or establish the additional franchise or | ||||||
| 20 | relocate the existing franchise before the hearing process | ||||||
| 21 | is concluded as prescribed by this Act, and thereafter if | ||||||
| 22 | the Board determines that the manufacturer has failed to | ||||||
| 23 | meet its burden of proof and that good cause does not exist | ||||||
| 24 | to allow the grant or establishment of the additional | ||||||
| 25 | franchise or relocation of the existing franchise. | ||||||
| 26 | The determination whether good cause exists for | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | allowing the grant or establishment of an additional | ||||||
| 2 | franchise or relocated existing franchise, shall be made | ||||||
| 3 | by the Board under subsection (c) of Section 12 of this | ||||||
| 4 | Act. If the manufacturer seeks to enter into a contract, | ||||||
| 5 | agreement or other arrangement with any person, | ||||||
| 6 | establishing any additional motor vehicle dealership or | ||||||
| 7 | other facility, limited to the sale of factory repurchase | ||||||
| 8 | vehicles or late model vehicles, then the manufacturer | ||||||
| 9 | shall follow the notice procedures set forth in this | ||||||
| 10 | Section and the determination whether good cause exists | ||||||
| 11 | for allowing the proposed agreement shall be made by the | ||||||
| 12 | Board under subsection (c) of Section 12, with the | ||||||
| 13 | manufacturer having the burden of proof. | ||||||
| 14 | A. (Blank). | ||||||
| 15 | B. For the purposes of this Section, appointment | ||||||
| 16 | of a successor motor vehicle dealer at the same | ||||||
| 17 | location as its predecessor, or within 2 miles of such | ||||||
| 18 | location, or the relocation of an existing dealer or | ||||||
| 19 | franchise within 2 miles of the relocating dealer's or | ||||||
| 20 | franchisee's existing location, shall not be construed | ||||||
| 21 | as a grant, establishment or the entering into of an | ||||||
| 22 | additional franchise or selling agreement, or a | ||||||
| 23 | relocation of an existing franchise. The reopening of | ||||||
| 24 | a motor vehicle dealership that has not been in | ||||||
| 25 | operation for 18 months or more shall be deemed the | ||||||
| 26 | grant of an additional franchise or selling agreement. | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | C. This Section does not apply to the relocation | ||||||
| 2 | of an existing dealership or franchise in a county | ||||||
| 3 | having a population of more than 300,000 persons when | ||||||
| 4 | the new location is within the dealer's current | ||||||
| 5 | relevant market area, provided the new location is | ||||||
| 6 | more than 7 miles from the nearest dealer of the same | ||||||
| 7 | line make. This Section does not apply to the | ||||||
| 8 | relocation of an existing dealership or franchise in a | ||||||
| 9 | county having a population of less than 300,000 | ||||||
| 10 | persons when the new location is within the dealer's | ||||||
| 11 | current relevant market area, provided the new | ||||||
| 12 | location is more than 12 miles from the nearest dealer | ||||||
| 13 | of the same line make. A dealer that would be farther | ||||||
| 14 | away from the new location of an existing dealership | ||||||
| 15 | or franchise of the same line make after a relocation | ||||||
| 16 | may not file a written protest against the relocation | ||||||
| 17 | with the Motor Vehicle Review Board. | ||||||
| 18 | D. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to | ||||||
| 19 | prevent a franchiser from implementing affirmative | ||||||
| 20 | action programs providing business opportunities for | ||||||
| 21 | minorities or from complying with applicable federal, | ||||||
| 22 | State or local law; | ||||||
| 23 | (9) to require a motor vehicle dealer to assent to a | ||||||
| 24 | release, assignment, novation, waiver or estoppel which | ||||||
| 25 | would relieve any person from liability imposed by this | ||||||
| 26 | Act; | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | (10) to prevent or refuse to give effect to the | ||||||
| 2 | succession to the ownership or management control of a | ||||||
| 3 | dealership by any legatee under the will of a dealer or to | ||||||
| 4 | an heir under the laws of descent and distribution of this | ||||||
| 5 | State unless the franchisee has designated a successor to | ||||||
| 6 | the ownership or management control under the succession | ||||||
| 7 | provisions of the franchise. Unless the franchiser, having | ||||||
| 8 | the burden of proof, proves that the successor is a person | ||||||
| 9 | who is not of good moral character or does not meet the | ||||||
| 10 | franchiser's existing and reasonable capital standards | ||||||
| 11 | and, with consideration given to the volume of sales and | ||||||
| 12 | service of the dealership, uniformly applied minimum | ||||||
| 13 | business experience standards in the market area, any | ||||||
| 14 | designated successor of a dealer or franchisee may succeed | ||||||
| 15 | to the ownership or management control of a dealership | ||||||
| 16 | under the existing franchise if: | ||||||
| 17 | (i) The designated successor gives the | ||||||
| 18 | franchiser written notice by certified mail, | ||||||
| 19 | return receipt requested, of his or her intention | ||||||
| 20 | to succeed to the ownership of the dealer within | ||||||
| 21 | 60 days of the dealer's death or incapacity; and | ||||||
| 22 | (ii) The designated successor agrees to be | ||||||
| 23 | bound by all the terms and conditions of the | ||||||
| 24 | existing franchise. | ||||||
| 25 | Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the motor | ||||||
| 26 | vehicle dealer or franchisee and manufacturer have duly | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | executed an agreement concerning succession rights prior | ||||||
| 2 | to the dealer's death or incapacitation, the agreement | ||||||
| 3 | shall be observed. | ||||||
| 4 | (A) If the franchiser intends to refuse to honor | ||||||
| 5 | the successor to the ownership of a deceased or | ||||||
| 6 | incapacitated dealer or franchisee under an existing | ||||||
| 7 | franchise agreement, the franchiser shall send a | ||||||
| 8 | letter by certified mail, return receipt requested, to | ||||||
| 9 | the designated successor within 60 days from receipt | ||||||
| 10 | of a proposal advising of its intent to refuse to honor | ||||||
| 11 | the succession and to discontinue the existing | ||||||
| 12 | franchise agreement and shall state that the | ||||||
| 13 | designated successor only has 30 days from the receipt | ||||||
| 14 | of the notice to file with the Motor Vehicle Review | ||||||
| 15 | Board a written protest against the proposed action. | ||||||
| 16 | The notice shall set forth the specific grounds for | ||||||
| 17 | the refusal to honor the succession and discontinue | ||||||
| 18 | the existing franchise agreement. | ||||||
| 19 | If notice of refusal is not timely served upon the | ||||||
| 20 | designated successor, the franchise agreement shall | ||||||
| 21 | continue in effect subject to termination only as | ||||||
| 22 | otherwise permitted by paragraph (6) of subsection (d) | ||||||
| 23 | of Section 4 of this Act. | ||||||
| 24 | Within 30 days from the date the notice was | ||||||
| 25 | received by the designated successor or any other | ||||||
| 26 | person entitled to notice, the designee or other | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | person may file with the Board a written protest | ||||||
| 2 | against the proposed action. | ||||||
| 3 | When a protest has been timely filed, the Board | ||||||
| 4 | shall enter an order, fixing a date (within 60 days of | ||||||
| 5 | the date of the order), time, and place of a hearing on | ||||||
| 6 | the protest, required under Sections 12 and 29 of this | ||||||
| 7 | Act, and send by certified mail, return receipt | ||||||
| 8 | requested, a copy of the order to the franchiser that | ||||||
| 9 | filed the notice of intention of the proposed action | ||||||
| 10 | and to the protesting designee or such other person. | ||||||
| 11 | The manufacturer shall have the burden of proof to | ||||||
| 12 | establish that good cause exists to refuse to honor | ||||||
| 13 | the succession and discontinue the existing franchise | ||||||
| 14 | agreement. The determination whether good cause exists | ||||||
| 15 | to refuse to honor the succession shall be made by the | ||||||
| 16 | Board under subdivision (B) of this paragraph (10). | ||||||
| 17 | The manufacturer shall not refuse to honor the | ||||||
| 18 | succession or discontinue the existing franchise | ||||||
| 19 | agreement before the hearing process is concluded as | ||||||
| 20 | prescribed by this Act, and thereafter if the Board | ||||||
| 21 | determines that it has failed to meet its burden of | ||||||
| 22 | proof and that good cause does not exist to refuse to | ||||||
| 23 | honor the succession and discontinue the existing | ||||||
| 24 | franchise agreement. | ||||||
| 25 | (B) No manufacturer shall impose any conditions | ||||||
| 26 | upon honoring the succession and continuing the | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | existing franchise agreement with the designated | ||||||
| 2 | successor other than that the franchisee has | ||||||
| 3 | designated a successor to the ownership or management | ||||||
| 4 | control under the succession provisions of the | ||||||
| 5 | franchise, or that the designated successor is of good | ||||||
| 6 | moral character or meets the reasonable capital | ||||||
| 7 | standards and, with consideration given to the volume | ||||||
| 8 | of sales and service of the dealership, uniformly | ||||||
| 9 | applied minimum business experience standards in the | ||||||
| 10 | market area; | ||||||
| 11 | (11) to prevent or refuse to approve a proposal to | ||||||
| 12 | establish a successor franchise at a location previously | ||||||
| 13 | approved by the franchiser when submitted with the | ||||||
| 14 | voluntary termination by the existing franchisee unless | ||||||
| 15 | the successor franchisee would not otherwise qualify for a | ||||||
| 16 | new motor vehicle dealer's license under the Illinois | ||||||
| 17 | Vehicle Code or unless the franchiser, having the burden | ||||||
| 18 | of proof, proves that such proposed successor is not of | ||||||
| 19 | good moral character or does not meet the franchiser's | ||||||
| 20 | existing and reasonable capital standards and, with | ||||||
| 21 | consideration given to the volume of sales and service of | ||||||
| 22 | the dealership, uniformly applied minimum business | ||||||
| 23 | experience standards in the market area. However, when | ||||||
| 24 | such a rejection of a proposal is made, the manufacturer | ||||||
| 25 | shall give written notice of its reasons to the franchisee | ||||||
| 26 | within 60 days of receipt by the manufacturer of the | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | proposal. However, nothing herein shall be construed to | ||||||
| 2 | prevent a franchiser from implementing affirmative action | ||||||
| 3 | programs providing business opportunities for minorities, | ||||||
| 4 | or from complying with applicable federal, State or local | ||||||
| 5 | law; | ||||||
| 6 | (12) to prevent or refuse to grant a franchise to a | ||||||
| 7 | person because such person owns, has investment in or | ||||||
| 8 | participates in the management of or holds a franchise for | ||||||
| 9 | the sale of another make or line of motor vehicles within 7 | ||||||
| 10 | miles of the proposed franchise location in a county | ||||||
| 11 | having a population of more than 300,000 persons, or | ||||||
| 12 | within 12 miles of the proposed franchise location in a | ||||||
| 13 | county having a population of less than 300,000 persons; | ||||||
| 14 | (13) to prevent or attempt to prevent any new motor | ||||||
| 15 | vehicle dealer from establishing any additional motor | ||||||
| 16 | vehicle dealership or other facility limited to the sale | ||||||
| 17 | of factory repurchase vehicles or late model vehicles or | ||||||
| 18 | otherwise offering for sale factory repurchase vehicles of | ||||||
| 19 | the same line make at an existing franchise by failing to | ||||||
| 20 | make available any contract, agreement or other | ||||||
| 21 | arrangement which is made available or otherwise offered | ||||||
| 22 | to any person; or | ||||||
| 23 | (14) to exercise a right of first refusal or other | ||||||
| 24 | right to acquire a franchise from a dealer, unless the | ||||||
| 25 | manufacturer: | ||||||
| 26 | (A) notifies the dealer in writing that it intends | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | to exercise its right to acquire the franchise not | ||||||
| 2 | later than 60 days after the manufacturer's or | ||||||
| 3 | distributor's receipt of a notice of the proposed | ||||||
| 4 | transfer from the dealer and all information and | ||||||
| 5 | documents reasonably and customarily required by the | ||||||
| 6 | manufacturer or distributor supporting the proposed | ||||||
| 7 | transfer; | ||||||
| 8 | (B) pays to the dealer the same or greater | ||||||
| 9 | consideration as the dealer has contracted to receive | ||||||
| 10 | in connection with the proposed transfer or sale of | ||||||
| 11 | all or substantially all of the dealership assets, | ||||||
| 12 | stock, or other ownership interest, including the | ||||||
| 13 | purchase or lease of all real property, leasehold, or | ||||||
| 14 | improvements related to the transfer or sale of the | ||||||
| 15 | dealership. Upon exercise of the right of first | ||||||
| 16 | refusal or such other right, the manufacturer or | ||||||
| 17 | distributor shall have the right to assign the lease | ||||||
| 18 | or to convey the real property; | ||||||
| 19 | (C) assumes all of the duties, obligations, and | ||||||
| 20 | liabilities contained in the agreements that were to | ||||||
| 21 | be assumed by the proposed transferee and with respect | ||||||
| 22 | to which the manufacturer or distributor exercised the | ||||||
| 23 | right of first refusal or other right to acquire the | ||||||
| 24 | franchise; | ||||||
| 25 | (D) reimburses the proposed transferee for all | ||||||
| 26 | reasonable expenses incurred in evaluating, | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | investigating, and negotiating the transfer of the | ||||||
| 2 | dealership prior to the manufacturer's or | ||||||
| 3 | distributor's exercise of its right of first refusal | ||||||
| 4 | or other right to acquire the dealership. For purposes | ||||||
| 5 | of this paragraph, "reasonable expenses" includes the | ||||||
| 6 | usual and customary legal and accounting fees charged | ||||||
| 7 | for similar work, as well as expenses associated with | ||||||
| 8 | the evaluation and investigation of any real property | ||||||
| 9 | on which the dealership is operated. The proposed | ||||||
| 10 | transferee shall submit an itemized list of its | ||||||
| 11 | expenses to the manufacturer or distributor not later | ||||||
| 12 | than 30 days after the manufacturer's or distributor's | ||||||
| 13 | exercise of the right of first refusal or other right | ||||||
| 14 | to acquire the motor vehicle franchise. The | ||||||
| 15 | manufacturer or distributor shall reimburse the | ||||||
| 16 | proposed transferee for its expenses not later than 90 | ||||||
| 17 | days after receipt of the itemized list. A | ||||||
| 18 | manufacturer or distributor may request to be provided | ||||||
| 19 | with the itemized list of expenses before exercising | ||||||
| 20 | the manufacturer's or distributor's right of first | ||||||
| 21 | refusal. | ||||||
| 22 | Except as provided in this paragraph (14), neither the | ||||||
| 23 | selling dealer nor the manufacturer or distributor shall | ||||||
| 24 | have any liability to any person as a result of a | ||||||
| 25 | manufacturer or distributor exercising its right of first | ||||||
| 26 | refusal. | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | For the purpose of this paragraph, "proposed | ||||||
| 2 | transferee" means the person to whom the franchise would | ||||||
| 3 | have been transferred to, or was proposed to be | ||||||
| 4 | transferred to, had the right of first refusal or other | ||||||
| 5 | right to acquire the franchise not been exercised by the | ||||||
| 6 | manufacturer or distributor. | ||||||
| 7 | (f) It is deemed a violation for a manufacturer, any | ||||||
| 8 | parent company, subsidiary, affiliate, common entity, or agent | ||||||
| 9 | of the manufacturer, a distributor, a wholesaler, a | ||||||
| 10 | distributor branch or division, a factory branch or division, | ||||||
| 11 | or a wholesale branch or division, or officer, agent, broker, | ||||||
| 12 | shareholder, except a shareholder of 1% or less of the | ||||||
| 13 | outstanding shares of any class of securities of a | ||||||
| 14 | manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler which is a publicly | ||||||
| 15 | traded corporation, or other representative, directly or | ||||||
| 16 | indirectly, to own or operate a place of business as a motor | ||||||
| 17 | vehicle franchisee or motor vehicle financing affiliate or to | ||||||
| 18 | perform warranty service for retail consumers. , except that, | ||||||
| 19 | this subsection shall not prohibit | ||||||
| 20 | A manufacturer, common entity, or distributor, other than | ||||||
| 21 | a manufacturer or distributor that was lawfully licensed to | ||||||
| 22 | sell new motor vehicles directly to customers in this State | ||||||
| 23 | before January 1, 2022, shall not own or operate a dealership | ||||||
| 24 | or directly sell new vehicles in this State, nor shall such | ||||||
| 25 | entities be eligible for a new motor vehicle dealer license | ||||||
| 26 | under the Illinois Vehicle Code, regardless of the entity's | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | branding as separate or independent of the controlling | ||||||
| 2 | manufacturer. | ||||||
| 3 | This subsection does not prohibit: | ||||||
| 4 | (1) the ownership or operation of a place of business | ||||||
| 5 | by a manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler for a | ||||||
| 6 | period, not to exceed 18 months, during the transition | ||||||
| 7 | from one motor vehicle franchisee to another; | ||||||
| 8 | (2) the investment in a motor vehicle franchisee by a | ||||||
| 9 | manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler if the investment | ||||||
| 10 | is for the sole purpose of enabling a partner or | ||||||
| 11 | shareholder in that motor vehicle franchisee to acquire an | ||||||
| 12 | interest in that motor vehicle franchisee and that partner | ||||||
| 13 | or shareholder is not otherwise employed by or associated | ||||||
| 14 | with the manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler and | ||||||
| 15 | would not otherwise have the requisite capital investment | ||||||
| 16 | funds to invest in the motor vehicle franchisee, and has | ||||||
| 17 | the right to purchase the entire equity interest of the | ||||||
| 18 | manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler in the motor | ||||||
| 19 | vehicle franchisee within a reasonable period of time not | ||||||
| 20 | to exceed 5 years; or | ||||||
| 21 | (3) the ownership or operation of a place of business | ||||||
| 22 | by a manufacturer that manufactures only diesel engines | ||||||
| 23 | for installation in trucks having a gross vehicle weight | ||||||
| 24 | rating of more than 16,000 pounds that are required to be | ||||||
| 25 | registered under the Illinois Vehicle Code, provided that: | ||||||
| 26 | (A) the manufacturer does not otherwise | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | manufacture, distribute, or sell motor vehicles as | ||||||
| 2 | defined under Section 1-217 of the Illinois Vehicle | ||||||
| 3 | Code; | ||||||
| 4 | (B) the manufacturer owned a place of business and | ||||||
| 5 | it was in operation as of January 1, 2016; | ||||||
| 6 | (C) the manufacturer complies with all obligations | ||||||
| 7 | owed to dealers that are not owned, operated, or | ||||||
| 8 | controlled by the manufacturer, including, but not | ||||||
| 9 | limited to those obligations arising pursuant to | ||||||
| 10 | Section 6; | ||||||
| 11 | (D) to further avoid any acts or practices, the | ||||||
| 12 | effect of which may be to lessen or eliminate | ||||||
| 13 | competition, the manufacturer provides to dealers on | ||||||
| 14 | substantially equal terms access to all support for | ||||||
| 15 | completing repairs, including, but not limited to, | ||||||
| 16 | parts and assemblies, training, and technical service | ||||||
| 17 | bulletins, and other information concerning repairs | ||||||
| 18 | that the manufacturer provides to facilities that are | ||||||
| 19 | owned, operated, or controlled by the manufacturer; | ||||||
| 20 | and | ||||||
| 21 | (E) the manufacturer does not require that | ||||||
| 22 | warranty repair work be performed by a | ||||||
| 23 | manufacturer-owned repair facility and the | ||||||
| 24 | manufacturer provides any dealer that has an agreement | ||||||
| 25 | with the manufacturer to sell and perform warranty | ||||||
| 26 | repairs on the manufacturer's engines the opportunity | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | to perform warranty repairs on those engines, | ||||||
| 2 | regardless of whether the dealer sold the truck into | ||||||
| 3 | which the engine was installed. | ||||||
| 4 | (g) Notwithstanding the terms, provisions, or conditions | ||||||
| 5 | of any agreement or waiver, it shall be deemed a violation for | ||||||
| 6 | a manufacturer, a distributor, a wholesaler, a distributor | ||||||
| 7 | branch or division, a factory branch or division, or a | ||||||
| 8 | wholesale branch or division, or officer, agent, common | ||||||
| 9 | entity, or other representative thereof, to directly or | ||||||
| 10 | indirectly condition the awarding of a franchise to a | ||||||
| 11 | prospective new motor vehicle dealer, the addition of a line | ||||||
| 12 | make or franchise to an existing dealer, the renewal of a | ||||||
| 13 | franchise of an existing dealer, the approval of the | ||||||
| 14 | relocation of an existing dealer's facility, or the approval | ||||||
| 15 | of the sale or transfer of the ownership of a franchise on the | ||||||
| 16 | willingness of a dealer, proposed new dealer, or owner of an | ||||||
| 17 | interest in the dealership facility to enter into a site | ||||||
| 18 | control agreement or exclusive use agreement unless separate | ||||||
| 19 | and reasonable consideration was offered and accepted for that | ||||||
| 20 | agreement. | ||||||
| 21 | For purposes of this subsection (g), the terms "site | ||||||
| 22 | control agreement" and "exclusive use agreement" include any | ||||||
| 23 | agreement that has the effect of either (i) requiring that the | ||||||
| 24 | dealer establish or maintain exclusive dealership facilities; | ||||||
| 25 | or (ii) restricting the ability of the dealer, or the ability | ||||||
| 26 | of the dealer's lessor in the event the dealership facility is | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | being leased, to transfer, sell, lease, or change the use of | ||||||
| 2 | the dealership premises, whether by sublease, lease, | ||||||
| 3 | collateral pledge of lease, or other similar agreement. "Site | ||||||
| 4 | control agreement" and "exclusive use agreement" also include | ||||||
| 5 | a manufacturer restricting the ability of a dealer to | ||||||
| 6 | transfer, sell, or lease the dealership premises by right of | ||||||
| 7 | first refusal to purchase or lease, option to purchase, or | ||||||
| 8 | option to lease if the transfer, sale, or lease of the | ||||||
| 9 | dealership premises is to a person who is an immediate family | ||||||
| 10 | member of the dealer. For the purposes of this subsection (g), | ||||||
| 11 | "immediate family member" means a spouse, parent, son, | ||||||
| 12 | daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother, and sister. | ||||||
| 13 | If a manufacturer exercises any right of first refusal to | ||||||
| 14 | purchase or lease or option to purchase or lease with regard to | ||||||
| 15 | a transfer, sale, or lease of the dealership premises to a | ||||||
| 16 | person who is not an immediate family member of the dealer, | ||||||
| 17 | then (1) within 60 days from the receipt of the completed | ||||||
| 18 | application forms generally utilized by a manufacturer to | ||||||
| 19 | conduct its review and a copy of all agreements regarding the | ||||||
| 20 | proposed transfer, the manufacturer must notify the dealer of | ||||||
| 21 | its intent to exercise the right of first refusal to purchase | ||||||
| 22 | or lease or option to purchase or lease and (2) the exercise of | ||||||
| 23 | the right of first refusal to purchase or lease or option to | ||||||
| 24 | purchase or lease must result in the dealer receiving | ||||||
| 25 | consideration, terms, and conditions that either are the same | ||||||
| 26 | as or greater than that which they have contracted to receive | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | in connection with the proposed transfer, sale, or lease of | ||||||
| 2 | the dealership premises. | ||||||
| 3 | Any provision contained in any agreement entered into on | ||||||
| 4 | or after November 25, 2009 (the effective date of Public Act | ||||||
| 5 | 96-824) that is inconsistent with the provisions of this | ||||||
| 6 | subsection (g) shall be voidable at the election of the | ||||||
| 7 | affected dealer, prospective dealer, or owner of an interest | ||||||
| 8 | in the dealership facility. | ||||||
| 9 | (h) For purposes of this subsection: | ||||||
| 10 | "Successor manufacturer" means any motor vehicle | ||||||
| 11 | manufacturer that, on or after January 1, 2009, acquires, | ||||||
| 12 | succeeds to, or assumes any part of the business of another | ||||||
| 13 | manufacturer, referred to as the "predecessor manufacturer", | ||||||
| 14 | as the result of any of the following: | ||||||
| 15 | (i) A change in ownership, operation, or control of | ||||||
| 16 | the predecessor manufacturer by sale or transfer of | ||||||
| 17 | assets, corporate stock or other equity interest, | ||||||
| 18 | assignment, merger, consolidation, combination, joint | ||||||
| 19 | venture, redemption, court-approved sale, operation of law | ||||||
| 20 | or otherwise. | ||||||
| 21 | (ii) The termination, suspension, or cessation of a | ||||||
| 22 | part or all of the business operations of the predecessor | ||||||
| 23 | manufacturer. | ||||||
| 24 | (iii) The discontinuance of the sale of the product | ||||||
| 25 | line. | ||||||
| 26 | (iv) A change in distribution system by the | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | predecessor manufacturer, whether through a change in | ||||||
| 2 | distributor or the predecessor manufacturer's decision to | ||||||
| 3 | cease conducting business through a distributor | ||||||
| 4 | altogether. | ||||||
| 5 | "Former Franchisee" means a new motor vehicle dealer that | ||||||
| 6 | has entered into a franchise with a predecessor manufacturer | ||||||
| 7 | and that has either: | ||||||
| 8 | (i) entered into a termination agreement or deferred | ||||||
| 9 | termination agreement with a predecessor or successor | ||||||
| 10 | manufacturer related to such franchise; or | ||||||
| 11 | (ii) has had such franchise canceled, terminated, | ||||||
| 12 | nonrenewed, noncontinued, rejected, nonassumed, or | ||||||
| 13 | otherwise ended. | ||||||
| 14 | For a period of 3 years from: (i) the date that a successor | ||||||
| 15 | manufacturer acquires, succeeds to, or assumes any part of the | ||||||
| 16 | business of a predecessor manufacturer; (ii) the last day that | ||||||
| 17 | a former franchisee is authorized to remain in business as a | ||||||
| 18 | franchised dealer with respect to a particular franchise under | ||||||
| 19 | a termination agreement or deferred termination agreement with | ||||||
| 20 | a predecessor or successor manufacturer; (iii) the last day | ||||||
| 21 | that a former franchisee that was cancelled, terminated, | ||||||
| 22 | nonrenewed, noncontinued, rejected, nonassumed, or otherwise | ||||||
| 23 | ended by a predecessor or successor manufacturer is authorized | ||||||
| 24 | to remain in business as a franchised dealer with respect to a | ||||||
| 25 | particular franchise; or (iv) November 25, 2009 (the effective | ||||||
| 26 | date of Public Act 96-824), whichever is latest, it shall be | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | unlawful for such successor manufacturer to enter into a same | ||||||
| 2 | line make franchise with any person or to permit the | ||||||
| 3 | relocation of any existing same line make franchise, for a | ||||||
| 4 | line make of the predecessor manufacturer that would be | ||||||
| 5 | located or relocated within the relevant market area of a | ||||||
| 6 | former franchisee who owned or leased a dealership facility in | ||||||
| 7 | that relevant market area without first offering the | ||||||
| 8 | additional or relocated franchise to the former franchisee, or | ||||||
| 9 | the designated successor of such former franchisee in the | ||||||
| 10 | event the former franchisee is deceased or a person with a | ||||||
| 11 | disability, at no cost and without any requirements or | ||||||
| 12 | restrictions other than those imposed generally on the | ||||||
| 13 | manufacturer's other franchisees at that time, unless one of | ||||||
| 14 | the following applies: | ||||||
| 15 | (1) As a result of the former franchisee's | ||||||
| 16 | cancellation, termination, noncontinuance, or nonrenewal | ||||||
| 17 | of the franchise, the predecessor manufacturer had | ||||||
| 18 | consolidated the line make with another of its line makes | ||||||
| 19 | for which the predecessor manufacturer had a franchisee | ||||||
| 20 | with a then-existing dealership facility located within | ||||||
| 21 | that relevant market area. | ||||||
| 22 | (2) The successor manufacturer has paid the former | ||||||
| 23 | franchisee, or the designated successor of such former | ||||||
| 24 | franchisee in the event the former franchisee is deceased | ||||||
| 25 | or a person with a disability, the fair market value of the | ||||||
| 26 | former franchisee's franchise on (i) the date the | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | franchiser announces the action which results in the | ||||||
| 2 | termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal; or (ii) the date | ||||||
| 3 | the action which results in termination, cancellation, or | ||||||
| 4 | nonrenewal first became general knowledge; or (iii) the | ||||||
| 5 | day 12 months prior to the date on which the notice of | ||||||
| 6 | termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal is issued, | ||||||
| 7 | whichever amount is higher. Payment is due within 90 days | ||||||
| 8 | of the effective date of the termination, cancellation, or | ||||||
| 9 | nonrenewal. If the termination, cancellation, or | ||||||
| 10 | nonrenewal is due to a manufacturer's change in | ||||||
| 11 | distributors, the manufacturer may avoid paying fair | ||||||
| 12 | market value to the dealer if the new distributor or the | ||||||
| 13 | manufacturer offers the dealer a franchise agreement with | ||||||
| 14 | terms acceptable to the dealer. | ||||||
| 15 | (3) The successor manufacturer proves that it would | ||||||
| 16 | have had good cause to terminate the franchise agreement | ||||||
| 17 | of the former franchisee, or the successor of the former | ||||||
| 18 | franchisee under item (e)(10) in the event that the former | ||||||
| 19 | franchisee is deceased or a person with a disability. The | ||||||
| 20 | determination of whether the successor manufacturer would | ||||||
| 21 | have had good cause to terminate the franchise agreement | ||||||
| 22 | of the former franchisee, or the successor of the former | ||||||
| 23 | franchisee, shall be made by the Board under subsection | ||||||
| 24 | (d) of Section 12. A successor manufacturer that seeks to | ||||||
| 25 | assert that it would have had good cause to terminate a | ||||||
| 26 | former franchisee, or the successor of the former | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | franchisee, must file a petition seeking a hearing on this | ||||||
| 2 | issue before the Board and shall have the burden of | ||||||
| 3 | proving that it would have had good cause to terminate the | ||||||
| 4 | former franchisee or the successor of the former | ||||||
| 5 | franchisee. No successor dealer, other than the former | ||||||
| 6 | franchisee, may be appointed or franchised by the | ||||||
| 7 | successor manufacturer within the relevant market area of | ||||||
| 8 | the former franchisee until the Board has held a hearing | ||||||
| 9 | and rendered a determination on the issue of whether the | ||||||
| 10 | successor manufacturer would have had good cause to | ||||||
| 11 | terminate the former franchisee. | ||||||
| 12 | In the event that a successor manufacturer attempts to | ||||||
| 13 | enter into a same line make franchise with any person or to | ||||||
| 14 | permit the relocation of any existing line make franchise | ||||||
| 15 | under this subsection (h) at a location that is within the | ||||||
| 16 | relevant market area of 2 or more former franchisees, then the | ||||||
| 17 | successor manufacturer may not offer it to any person other | ||||||
| 18 | than one of those former franchisees unless the successor | ||||||
| 19 | manufacturer can prove that at least one of the 3 exceptions in | ||||||
| 20 | items (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection (h) applies to each | ||||||
| 21 | of those former franchisees. | ||||||
| 22 | (i) It shall be deemed a violation of this Section for any | ||||||
| 23 | manufacturer with an established franchise dealer network in | ||||||
| 24 | this State, either directly or indirectly, through any parent, | ||||||
| 25 | subsidiary, affiliate, or agent of the manufacturer, any | ||||||
| 26 | person under common ownership or control, or common entity, to | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | engage in the sale, lease, or warranty servicing of new motor | ||||||
| 2 | vehicles in a manner that bypasses or competes with the | ||||||
| 3 | manufacturer's existing franchisee network, including, but not | ||||||
| 4 | limited to: | ||||||
| 5 | (1) engaging in practices intended to circumvent, | ||||||
| 6 | evade, or undermine the rights, obligations, or | ||||||
| 7 | protections afforded to franchisees under this Act; or | ||||||
| 8 | (2) establishing or using newly branded entities, | ||||||
| 9 | spin-offs, or affiliated or subsidiary entities to conduct | ||||||
| 10 | retail operations outside the franchise system. | ||||||
| 11 | (j) A manufacturer or distributor shall not engage in the | ||||||
| 12 | sale of new motor vehicles directly to the general public in | ||||||
| 13 | this State unless the manufacturer or distributor was lawfully | ||||||
| 14 | licensed to sell new motor vehicles directly to consumers in | ||||||
| 15 | this State before January 1, 2022. | ||||||
| 16 | (Source: P.A. 102-433, eff. 1-1-22.) | ||||||
| 17 | (815 ILCS 710/6) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 756) | ||||||
| 18 | Sec. 6. Warranty agreements; claims; approval; payment; | ||||||
| 19 | written disapproval. | ||||||
| 20 | (a) Every manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, | ||||||
| 21 | distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or | ||||||
| 22 | wholesale branch or division shall properly fulfill any | ||||||
| 23 | warranty agreement and adequately and fairly compensate each | ||||||
| 24 | of its motor vehicle dealers for labor and parts. | ||||||
| 25 | (b) Adequate and fair compensation requires the | ||||||
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| |||||||
| 1 | manufacturer to pay each dealer no less than the amount the | ||||||
| 2 | retail customer pays for the same services with regard to rate | ||||||
| 3 | and time. | ||||||
| 4 | Any time guide previously agreed to by the manufacturer | ||||||
| 5 | and the dealer for extended warranty repairs may be used in | ||||||
| 6 | lieu of actual time expended. In the event that a time guide | ||||||
| 7 | has not been agreed to for warranty repairs, or said time guide | ||||||
| 8 | does not define time for an applicable warranty repair, the | ||||||
| 9 | manufacturer's time guide shall be used, multiplied by 1.5. | ||||||
| 10 | In no event shall such compensation fail to include full | ||||||
| 11 | compensation for diagnostic work, as well as repair service, | ||||||
| 12 | labor, and parts. Time allowances for the diagnosis and | ||||||
| 13 | performance of warranty work and service shall be no less than | ||||||
| 14 | charged to retail customers for the same work to be performed. | ||||||
| 15 | No warranty or factory compensated repairs shall be | ||||||
| 16 | excluded from this requirement, including recalls or other | ||||||
| 17 | voluntary stop-sell repairs required by the manufacturer. If a | ||||||
| 18 | manufacturer is required to issue a recall, the dealer will be | ||||||
| 19 | compensated for labor time as above stated. | ||||||
| 20 | Furthermore, manufacturers shall pay the dealer the same | ||||||
| 21 | effective labor rate (using the 100 sequential repair orders | ||||||
| 22 | chosen and submitted by the dealer less simple maintenance | ||||||
| 23 | repair orders) that the dealer receives for customer-pay | ||||||
| 24 | repairs. This requirement includes vehicle diagnostic times | ||||||
| 25 | for all warranty repairs. Additionally, if a technician is | ||||||
| 26 | required to communicate with a Technical Assistance | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | Center/Engineering/or some external manufacturer source in | ||||||
| 2 | order to provide a warranty repair, the manufacturer shall pay | ||||||
| 3 | for the time from start of communications (including hold | ||||||
| 4 | time) until the communication is complete. | ||||||
| 5 | The dealer may submit a request to the manufacturer for | ||||||
| 6 | warranty labor rate increases a maximum of once per calendar | ||||||
| 7 | year. | ||||||
| 8 | A claim made by a franchised motor vehicle dealer for | ||||||
| 9 | compensation under this Section shall be either approved or | ||||||
| 10 | disapproved within 30 days after the claim is submitted to the | ||||||
| 11 | manufacturer in the manner and on the forms the manufacturer | ||||||
| 12 | reasonably prescribes. An approved claim shall be paid within | ||||||
| 13 | 30 days after its approval. If a claim is not specifically | ||||||
| 14 | disapproved in writing or by electronic transmission within 30 | ||||||
| 15 | days after the date on which the manufacturer receives it, the | ||||||
| 16 | claim shall be considered to be approved and payment shall | ||||||
| 17 | follow within 30 days. | ||||||
| 18 | In no event shall compensation to a motor vehicle dealer | ||||||
| 19 | for labor times and labor rates be less than the rates charged | ||||||
| 20 | by such dealer for like service to retail customers for | ||||||
| 21 | nonwarranty service and repairs. Additionally, the | ||||||
| 22 | manufacturer shall reimburse the dealer for any parts provided | ||||||
| 23 | in satisfaction of a warranty at the prevailing retail price | ||||||
| 24 | charged by that dealer for the same parts when not provided in | ||||||
| 25 | satisfaction of a warranty; provided that such dealer's | ||||||
| 26 | prevailing retail price is not unreasonable when compared with | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | that of the holders of motor vehicle franchises of from the | ||||||
| 2 | same line make manufacturer for identical parts in the | ||||||
| 3 | geographic area in which the dealer is engaged in business. | ||||||
| 4 | There shall be no reduction in payments due to | ||||||
| 5 | preestablished market norms or market averages. Manufacturers | ||||||
| 6 | are prohibited from establishing restrictions or limitations | ||||||
| 7 | of customer repair frequency due to failure rate indexes or | ||||||
| 8 | national failure averages. | ||||||
| 9 | No debit reduction or charge back of any item on a warranty | ||||||
| 10 | repair order may be made absent a finding of fraud or illegal | ||||||
| 11 | actions by the dealer. | ||||||
| 12 | A warranty claim timely made shall not be deemed invalid | ||||||
| 13 | solely because unavailable parts cause additional use and | ||||||
| 14 | mileage on the vehicle. | ||||||
| 15 | If a manufacturer imposes a recall or stop sale on any new | ||||||
| 16 | vehicle in a dealer's inventory that prevents the sale of the | ||||||
| 17 | vehicle, the manufacturer shall compensate the dealer for any | ||||||
| 18 | interest and storage until the vehicle is repaired and made | ||||||
| 19 | ready for sale. | ||||||
| 20 | Manufacturers are not permitted to impose any form of cost | ||||||
| 21 | recovery fees or surcharges against a franchised auto | ||||||
| 22 | dealership for payments made in accordance with this Section. | ||||||
| 23 | All claims, either original or resubmitted, made by motor | ||||||
| 24 | vehicle dealers hereunder and under Section 5 for such labor | ||||||
| 25 | and parts shall be either approved or disapproved within 30 | ||||||
| 26 | days following their submission. All approved claims shall be | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | paid within 30 days following their approval. The motor | ||||||
| 2 | vehicle dealer who submits a claim which is disapproved shall | ||||||
| 3 | be notified in writing of the disapproval within the same | ||||||
| 4 | period, and each such notice shall state the specific grounds | ||||||
| 5 | upon which the disapproval is based. The motor vehicle dealer | ||||||
| 6 | shall be permitted to correct and resubmit such disapproved | ||||||
| 7 | claims within 30 days of receipt of disapproval. Any claims | ||||||
| 8 | not specifically disapproved in writing within 30 days from | ||||||
| 9 | their submission shall be deemed approved and payment shall | ||||||
| 10 | follow within 30 days. The manufacturer or franchiser shall | ||||||
| 11 | have the right to require reasonable documentation for claims | ||||||
| 12 | and to audit such claims within a one year period from the date | ||||||
| 13 | the claim was paid or credit issued by the manufacturer or | ||||||
| 14 | franchiser, and to charge back any false or unsubstantiated | ||||||
| 15 | claims. The audit and charge back provisions of this Section | ||||||
| 16 | also apply to all other incentive and reimbursement programs | ||||||
| 17 | for a period of one year after the date the claim was paid or | ||||||
| 18 | credit issued by the manufacturer or franchiser. However, the | ||||||
| 19 | manufacturer retains the right to charge back any fraudulent | ||||||
| 20 | claim if the manufacturer establishes in a court of competent | ||||||
| 21 | jurisdiction in this State that the claim is fraudulent. | ||||||
| 22 | (c) The motor vehicle franchiser shall not, by agreement, | ||||||
| 23 | by restrictions upon reimbursement, or otherwise, restrict the | ||||||
| 24 | nature and extent of services to be rendered or parts to be | ||||||
| 25 | provided so that such restriction prevents the motor vehicle | ||||||
| 26 | franchisee from satisfying the warranty by rendering services | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | in a good and workmanlike manner and providing parts which are | ||||||
| 2 | required in accordance with generally accepted standards. Any | ||||||
| 3 | such restriction shall constitute a prohibited practice. | ||||||
| 4 | (d) For the purposes of this Section, the "prevailing | ||||||
| 5 | retail price charged by that dealer for the same parts" means | ||||||
| 6 | the price paid by the motor vehicle franchisee for parts, | ||||||
| 7 | including all shipping and other charges, multiplied by the | ||||||
| 8 | sum of 1.0 and the franchisee's average percentage markup over | ||||||
| 9 | the price paid by the motor vehicle franchisee for parts | ||||||
| 10 | purchased by the motor vehicle franchisee from the motor | ||||||
| 11 | vehicle franchiser and sold at retail. The motor vehicle | ||||||
| 12 | franchisee may establish average percentage markup under this | ||||||
| 13 | Section by submitting to the motor vehicle franchiser 100 | ||||||
| 14 | sequential customer paid service repair orders or 90 days of | ||||||
| 15 | customer paid service repair orders, whichever is less, | ||||||
| 16 | covering repairs made no more than 180 days before the | ||||||
| 17 | submission, and declaring what the average percentage markup | ||||||
| 18 | is. The average percentage markup so declared shall go into | ||||||
| 19 | effect 30 days following the declaration, subject to audit of | ||||||
| 20 | the submitted repair orders by the motor vehicle franchiser | ||||||
| 21 | and adjustment of the average percentage markup based on that | ||||||
| 22 | audit. Any audit must be conducted within 30 days following | ||||||
| 23 | the declaration. Only retail sales not involving warranty | ||||||
| 24 | repairs, parts covered by subsection (e) of this Section, or | ||||||
| 25 | parts supplied for routine vehicle maintenance, shall be | ||||||
| 26 | considered in calculating average percentage markup. For the | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | purpose of this subsection, "routine maintenance" includes, | ||||||
| 2 | but is not limited to: (i) the replacement of oil or other | ||||||
| 3 | fluids, filters, batteries for internal combustion engine | ||||||
| 4 | vehicles, bulbs, brake pads, rotors, nuts, bolts, or | ||||||
| 5 | fasteners; (ii) the replacement of or work on tires or wheels, | ||||||
| 6 | including wheel alignments and tire and wheel rotations; and | ||||||
| 7 | (iii) the installation of an accessory. No motor vehicle | ||||||
| 8 | franchiser shall require a motor vehicle franchisee to | ||||||
| 9 | establish average percentage markup by a methodology, or by | ||||||
| 10 | requiring information, that is unduly burdensome or time | ||||||
| 11 | consuming to provide, including, but not limited to, part by | ||||||
| 12 | part or transaction by transaction calculations. A motor | ||||||
| 13 | vehicle franchisee shall not request a change in the average | ||||||
| 14 | percentage markup more than twice in one calendar year. | ||||||
| 15 | (e) If a motor vehicle franchiser supplies a part or parts | ||||||
| 16 | for use in a repair rendered under a warranty other than by | ||||||
| 17 | sale of that part or parts to the motor vehicle franchisee, the | ||||||
| 18 | motor vehicle franchisee shall be entitled to compensation | ||||||
| 19 | equivalent to the motor vehicle franchisee's average | ||||||
| 20 | percentage markup on the part or parts, as if the part or parts | ||||||
| 21 | had been sold to the motor vehicle franchisee by the motor | ||||||
| 22 | vehicle franchiser. The requirements of this subsection (e) | ||||||
| 23 | shall not apply to entire engine assemblies, propulsion engine | ||||||
| 24 | assemblies, including electric vehicle batteries, and entire | ||||||
| 25 | transmission assemblies. In the case of those assemblies, the | ||||||
| 26 | motor vehicle franchiser shall reimburse the motor vehicle | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | franchisee up to and including 30% of what the motor vehicle | ||||||
| 2 | franchisee would have paid the motor vehicle franchiser for | ||||||
| 3 | the assembly if the assembly had not been supplied by the | ||||||
| 4 | franchiser other than by the sale of that assembly to the motor | ||||||
| 5 | vehicle franchisee. | ||||||
| 6 | (f) The obligations imposed on motor vehicle franchisers | ||||||
| 7 | by this Section shall apply to any parent, subsidiary, | ||||||
| 8 | affiliate, or agent of the motor vehicle franchiser, any | ||||||
| 9 | person under common ownership or control, any employee of the | ||||||
| 10 | motor vehicle franchiser, and any person holding 1% or more of | ||||||
| 11 | the shares of any class of securities or other ownership | ||||||
| 12 | interest in the motor vehicle franchiser, if a warranty or | ||||||
| 13 | service or repair plan is issued by that person instead of or | ||||||
| 14 | in addition to one issued by the motor vehicle franchiser. | ||||||
| 15 | (g) (Blank). | ||||||
| 16 | (Source: P.A. 102-232, eff. 1-1-22; 102-669, eff. 11-16-21.) | ||||||
| 17 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
| 18 | becoming law.". | ||||||
