VA legisltors craft vehicle registration improvements; MD legislators look to curb OEM retaliation against dealers; lawmakers on both sides of the Potomac stymied by budgets
Electronic titling coming in Virginia
With the Virginia General Assembly wrapping up the 2012 session, legislators passed a new electronic filing bill, which will enable electronic titling of new vehicles in the Commonwealth, a first for any state. This bill will eventually allow dealers to go paperless for titling transactions with the DMV. Titles would be held electronically and be accessible to vehicle owners via the DMV website.
Drive-by emissions testing OK for Northern Virginia
Virginia legislators also approved a bill intended to make it easier for Northern Virginia motorists to get emissions tests. The measure allows vehicle owners to simply drive past on-road sensors instead of visiting a testing station. If the vehicle meets state emissions criteria, the owner would be notified and given the option to pay for the inspection by mail or electronically.
The bill was sponsored in the House by Del. Joe May (R-Loudoun) and in the Senate by Richard Saslaw (D-Fairfax). Ninety percent of the vehicles in Northern Virginia are clean running vehicles, May said of the bill. There is no reason we should not reward these motorists with an alternative testing option that will save time and reduce the inconvenience of obtaining an emission inspection at a traditional station.
MD bill would ban OEM retaliation practices on state franchise laws
Maryland Senators Jamie Raskin, Jenny Forehand and Brian Rosh, all Democrats from Montgomery County, have cosponsored a bill to prohibit OEMs from retaliating against their dealers by ending dealer programs in the state because of franchise laws. The three senators, who have helped craft dealer franchise measures in the past, put forth the bill to ensure that the spirit and letter of Maryland laws arent cut short by those who would unfairly sidestep them to the detriment of dealers and automotive consumers.
No consensus yet on how to fund state government
With the end of the current Virginia General Assembly in sight, consensus on a state budget came to a halt this week as Democrats and Republicans deadlocked in the Senate. Without a budget in place, state agencies will commence curtailing operations in July.
A hike in the gas tax that had been the centerpiece of the Governor OMalleys approach to Marylands budget shortfall went away at some point between fractious debate on gay marriage in the General Assembly and spiking gas prices at the pump, north of $4.25/gallon. In a scramble to find other sources of funding, Maryland legislators are looking at reversing the net-of-trade on title tax computation implemented by the General Assembly a couple years ago and actually have legislation moving forward to expand sales tax to such tax free areas as vehicle repairs, extended warranties and roadside assistance services. A bill to expand the sales tax into the aforementioned areas is scheduled for a hearing March 6.
Stay tuned!
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