In the event that a dealer seeks to establish a new vessel or new motor dealership or relocate an existing vessel or motor dealership within or into a relevant market area where the same product line is then represented, the dealer shall notify the Tax Commission and each new vessel or new motor dealer of such product line in the relevant market area of the intention to establish or relocate a dealership within or into that market area. The relevant market area is the area within a radius of fifteen (15) miles of the site of the proposed new vessel or new motor dealership. Within fifteen (15) days of receiving such notice such new vessel or new motor dealer may file with the Commission a protest to the establishing or relocating of the proposed new vessel or new motor dealership. When such a protest is filed, the Commission shall inform the dealer that a timely protest has been filed, and that the dealer shall not establish or relocate the proposed new vessel or new motor dealership until the Commission has held a hearing, nor thereafter, if the Commission has determined that there is good cause for not permitting such new vessel or new motor dealership. The manufacturer or factory representative of the same product line may obtain a waiver of protest from each new vessel or new motor dealer of the same product line within that relevant market area. If a waiver of protest from each dealer within the relevant market area is not attached to the application for the new dealer seeking to establish, the Commission shall render a final decision no later than sixty (60) days after the Commission's receipt of the notice of protest. In any hearing held pursuant to this section on additional dealerships or relocation of dealerships the new dealer or existing dealer relocating shall have the burden of proof. For the purposes of this section, the reopening in a relevant market area of a new vessel or new motor dealership that has not been in operation for two (2) years or more shall be deemed the establishment of a new vessel or new motor dealership. For the purpose of this section, the designation of an additional location in an existing dealership agreement shall be deemed to be the establishment of a new vessel or new motor dealership.
Added by Laws 1990, c. 304, § 11, emerg. eff. May 30, 1990.