(a) (1) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), if a franchisor seeks to enter into a franchise establishing an additional recreational vehicle dealership, or seeks to relocate an existing recreational vehicle dealership, that has a relevant market area in which the same recreational vehicle line-make is represented, the franchisor shall, in writing, first notify the board and each franchisee in that recreational vehicle line-make in the relevant market area of the franchisor’s intention to establish an additional dealership or to relocate an existing dealership. Within 20 days of receiving the notice, satisfying the requirements of this section, or within 20 days after the end of any appeal procedure provided by the franchisor, any franchisee required to be given the notice may file with the board a protest to the proposed dealership establishment or relocation described in the franchisor’s notice. If, within this time, a franchisee files with the board a request for additional time to file a protest, the board or its executive director, upon a showing of good cause, may grant an additional 10 days to file the protest. When a protest is filed, the board shall inform the franchisor that a timely protest has been filed, that a hearing is required pursuant to Section 3080, and that the franchisor shall not establish the proposed dealership or relocate the existing dealership until the board has held a hearing as provided in Section 3080, nor thereafter, if the board has determined that there is good cause for not permitting the establishment of the proposed recreational vehicle dealership or relocation of the existing recreational vehicle dealership. In the event of multiple protests, hearings may be consolidated to expedite the disposition of the issue.
(2) The written notice shall contain, on the first page thereof in at least 12-point bold type and circumscribed by a line to segregate it from the rest of the text, the following statement:
“NOTICE TO DEALER: You have the right to file a protest with the NEW MOTOR VEHICLE BOARD in Sacramento and have a hearing on your protest under the terms of the California Vehicle Code if you oppose this action. You must file your protest with the board within 20 days of your receipt of this notice, or within 20 days after the end of any appeal procedure that is provided by us to you. If, within this time, you file with the board a request for additional time to file a protest, the board or its executive director, upon a showing of good cause, may grant you an additional 10 days to file the protest.”
(b) Subdivision (a) does not apply to any of the following:
(1) The relocation of an existing dealership to any location that is both within the same city as, and within one mile of, the existing dealership location.
(2) The establishment at any location that is both within the same city as, and within one-quarter mile of, the location of a dealership of the same recreational vehicle line-make that has been out of operation for less than 90 days.
(3) A display of vehicles at a fair, exposition, or similar exhibit if no actual sales are made at the event and the display does not exceed 30 days. This paragraph may not be construed to prohibit a new vehicle dealer from establishing a branch office for the purpose of selling vehicles at the fair, exposition, or similar exhibit, even though that event is sponsored by a financial institution, as defined in Section 31041 of the Financial Code, or by a financial institution and a licensed dealer. The establishment of these branch offices, however, shall be in accordance with subdivision (a) where applicable.
(4) An annual show sponsored by a national trade association of recreational vehicle manufacturers that complies with all of the requirements of subdivision (d) of Section 11713.15.
(c) For the purposes of this section, the reopening of a dealership that has not been in operation for one year or more shall be deemed the establishment of an additional recreational vehicle dealership.
(d) For the purposes of this section and Section 3073, a “recreational vehicle dealership” or “dealership” is any authorized facility at which a franchisee offers for sale or lease, displays for sale or lease, or sells or leases new recreational vehicles, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 18010 of the Health and Safety Code. A “recreational vehicle dealership” or “dealership” does not include a dealer who deals exclusively in truck campers.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 407, Sec. 7. (AB 759) Effective January 1, 2016.)