(a) In the event that a manufacturer seeks to enter into a franchise establishing an additional new motor vehicle dealer or relocating an existing new motor vehicle dealer within or into a relevant market area where the same line-make is then represented, the manufacturer shall in writing first notify the Public Service Commission and each new motor vehicle dealer in such line-make in the relevant market area of the intention to establish an additional dealer or to relocate an existing dealer within or into that market area. Within 30 days of receiving such notice or within 30 days after the end of any appeal procedure provided by the manufacturer, any such new motor vehicle dealer may file with the Public Service Commission a protest to the establishing or relocating of the new motor vehicle dealer. When such a protest is filed, the Public Service Commission shall inform the manufacturer that a timely protest has been filed, and that the manufacturer shall not establish or relocate the proposed new motor vehicle dealer until the Public Service Commission has held a hearing, nor thereafter, unless, the Public Service Commission has determined that there is good cause for permitting the addition or relocation of such new motor vehicle dealer.
(b) This section does not apply:
(1) To the relocation of an existing dealer within that dealer's relevant market area, provided that the relocation not be at a site within 7 miles of a licensed new motor vehicle dealer for the same line-make of motor vehicle; or
(2) If the proposed new motor vehicle dealer is to be established at or within 2 miles of a location at which a former new motor vehicle dealer for the same line-make of new motor vehicle had ceased operating within the previous 2 years. Determination of whether a new motor vehicle dealer “had ceased operating” under the preceding sentence shall be based on the facts and circumstances of a particular case; provided however, that in transactions involving a sale of the business or assets of a new motor vehicle dealer, the seller and purchaser shall be treated as the same entity.
(c) In determining whether good cause has been established for entering into or relocating an additional new motor vehicle dealer for the same line-make, the Public Service Commission shall take into consideration the existing circumstances, including, but not limited to:
(1) Permanency of the investment of both the existing and proposed new motor vehicle dealers;
(2) Growth or decline in population and new car registrations in the relevant market area;
(3) Effect on the consuming public in the relevant market area;
(4) Whether it is injurious or beneficial to the public welfare for an additional new motor vehicle dealer to be established;
(5) Whether the new motor vehicle dealers of the same line-make in that relevant market area are providing adequate competition and convenient customer care for the motor vehicles of the line-make in the market area which shall include the adequacy of motor vehicle sales and service facilities, equipment, supply of motor vehicle parts and qualified service personnel;
(6) Whether the establishment of an additional new motor vehicle dealer would increase competition, and therefore be in the public interest;
(7) The effect on the relocating dealer of a denial of its relocation.
(d) The manufacturer and proposed additional or relocating new motor vehicle dealer shall have the burden of proof to establish that good cause exists for permitting the proposed addition or relocation under this section.
(e) The Public Service Commission or its designee shall conduct the hearing and render its final determination within 90 days after a protest is filed.
(f) Any parties to a hearing by the Public Service Commission concerning the establishing or relocating of a new motor vehicle dealer shall have a right of review of the decision in the Superior Court; if no decision is made by the Public Service Commission within 90 days of the protest then the matter shall be heard and determined by the Superior Court on application by either party filed within 120 days after the protest.
(g) All new motor vehicle dealers in the State shall bear the costs of the administration of this chapter by means of an annual assessment which may be established by the Commission as needed and must be no more than what is reasonably needed to defray the annual cost of administering this chapter; provided, in the event the Commission determines that any action or actions by a manufacturer pursuant to this section are frivolous, the Commission may assess the reasonable cost of the hearing against the manufacturer. Such assessment shall be paid by each new motor vehicle dealer on or before March 31 of each year. If a new motor vehicle dealer fails to pay the assessment, it shall pay a penalty of 12 percent of the amount due for each month or fraction thereof that the amount is unpaid. The Commission may enforce the collection of any delinquent assessment, or portion thereof, by legal action or in any other manner by which the collection of debts due the State may be enforced. All assessments under this section shall be deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of a New Motor Vehicle Dealer Fund to be used for the administration of this chapter by the Commission, as authorized by the General Assembly in its annual operating budget. Any amount which remains in the Fund at the end of any fiscal year shall be applied on an equal basis to the assessment charged against each new motor vehicle dealer for the next succeeding fiscal year.