Pre-filed December 6, 1996 and 1000 copies ordered printed.

ANNE C. WALKER, Chief Clerk

L0062.01I

To repeal sections 301.560 and 301.566, RSMo Supp. 1996, relating to motor vehicle dealers, and to enact in lieu thereof three new sections relating to the same subject.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

Section A. Sections 301.560 and 301.566, RSMo Supp. 1996, are repealed and three new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 301.560, 301.566 and 1, to read as follows:

301.560. 1. In addition to the application forms prescribed by the commission, each applicant shall submit the following to the commission:

(1) When the application is being made for licensure as a manufacturer, boat manufacturer, motor vehicle dealer, or boat dealer, a certification by a uniformed member of the Missouri state highway patrol stationed in the troop area in which the applicant's place of business is located; except, that in counties of the first class, certification may be authorized by an officer of a metropolitan police department when the applicant's established place of business of distributing or selling motor vehicles or trailers is in the metropolitan area where the certifying metropolitan police officer is employed, that the applicant has a bona fide established place of business. A bona fide established place of business for any new motor vehicle franchise dealer or used motor vehicle dealer shall include a permanent enclosed building or structure, either owned in fee or leased and actually occupied as a place of business by the applicant for the selling, bartering, trading or exchanging of motor vehicles or trailers and wherein the public may contact the owner or operator at any reasonable time, and wherein shall be kept and maintained the books, records, files and other matters required and necessary to conduct the business. The applicant's place of business shall contain a working telephone which shall be maintained during the entire registration year. In order to qualify as a bona fide established place of business for all applicants licensed pursuant to this section there shall be an exterior sign displayed carrying the name and class of business conducted in letters at least six inches in height and clearly visible to the public and there shall be an area or lot which shall not be a public street on which one or more vehicles may be displayed, except when licensure is for a wholesale dealer a lot and sign shall not be required. When licensure is for a boat dealer, a lot shall not be required. In the case of new motor vehicle franchise dealers, the bona fide established place of business shall include adequate facilities, tools and personnel necessary to properly service and repair motor vehicles and trailers under their franchiser's warranty;

(2) If the application is for licensure as a manufacturer, boat manufacturer, new motor vehicle franchise dealer, used motor vehicle dealer, or boat dealer, a photograph, not to exceed eight inches by ten inches, showing the business building and sign shall accompany the initial application. In the case of a manufacturer, new motor vehicle franchise dealer or used motor vehicle dealer, the photograph shall include the lot of the business. A new motor vehicle franchise dealer applicant who has purchased a currently licensed new motor vehicle franchised dealership shall be allowed to submit a photograph of the existing dealership building, lot and sign but shall be required to submit a new photograph upon the installation of the new dealership sign as required by sections 301.550 to 301.572. Applicants shall not be required to submit a photograph annually unless the business has moved from its previously licensed location, or unless the name of the business or address has changed, or unless the class of business has changed;

(3) If the application is for licensure as a wholesale motor vehicle dealer or as a boat dealer, the application shall contain the business address, not a post office box, and telephone number of the place where the books, records, files and other matters required and necessary to conduct the business are located and where the same may be inspected during normal daytime business hours. Wholesale motor vehicle dealers and boat dealers shall file reports as required of new franchised motor vehicle dealers and used motor vehicle dealers;

(4) Every applicant as a new motor vehicle franchise dealer, a used motor vehicle dealer, a wholesale motor vehicle dealer, or boat dealer shall furnish with the application a corporate surety bond or an irrevocable letter of credit as defined in section 400.5-103, RSMo, issued by any state or federal financial institution in the penal sum of twenty- five thousand dollars on a form approved by the commission. The bond or irrevocable letter of credit shall be conditioned upon [his] the dealer complying with the provisions of the statutes applicable to new motor vehicle franchise dealers, used motor vehicle dealers, wholesale motor vehicle dealers and boat dealers, and the bond shall be an indemnity for any loss sustained by any person by reason of the acts of the person bonded when such acts constitute grounds for the suspension or revocation of [his] the dealer's license. The bond shall be executed in the name of the state of Missouri for the benefit of any aggrieved party or the irrevocable letter of credit shall name the state of Missouri as the beneficiary; except, that the aggregate liability of the surety or financial institution to the aggrieved party shall, in no event, exceed the amount of the bond or irrevocable letter of credit. The proceeds of the bond or irrevocable letter of credit shall be paid upon receipt by the commission of a final judgment from a Missouri court of competent jurisdiction against the principal and in favor of an aggrieved party;

(5) Payment of all necessary license fees as established by the commission. In establishing the amount of the annual license fees, the commission shall, as near as possible, produce sufficient total income to offset operational expenses of the commission. All fees payable [under] pursuant to the provisions of sections 301.550 to 301.572, other than those fees collected for the issuance of dealer plates or certificates of number collected pursuant to subsection 6 of this section, shall be collected by the commission and transferred to the director of revenue for deposit in the state treasury to the credit of the "Motor Vehicle Commission Fund", which is hereby created. The motor vehicle commission fund shall be administered by the Missouri motor vehicle commission. The provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, to the contrary notwithstanding, money in such fund shall not be transferred and placed to the credit of the general revenue fund until the amount in the motor vehicle commission fund at the end of the biennium exceeds two times the amount of the appropriation from the commission's funds for the preceding fiscal year or, if the commission requires permit renewal less frequently than yearly, then three times the appropriation from the commission's funds for the preceding fiscal year. The amount, if any, in the fund which shall lapse is that amount in the fund which exceeds the multiple of the appropriation from the commission's funds for the preceding fiscal year.

No requirements or provisions of this subsection shall be construed to conflict with the provisions of section 1 of this act allowing dealers to sell vehicles at public motor vehicle auctions.

2. In the event a new manufacturer, boat manufacturer, motor vehicle dealer or boat dealer submits an application for a license for a new business and the applicant has complied with all the provisions of this section, the commission shall make a decision to grant or deny the license to the applicant within eight working hours after receipt of the dealer's application, notwithstanding any rule of the commission.

3. Upon the initial issuance of a license by the commission, the commission shall assign a distinctive dealer license number or certificate of number to the applicant and the motor vehicle commission shall issue one number plate or certificate bearing the distinctive dealer license number or certificate of number within eight working hours after presentment of the application. Upon assignment of a dealer license number or certificate of number, the commission shall notify the department of revenue of the assignment and the name of the dealer to whom assigned. Upon the renewal of a boat dealer, boat manufacturer, manufacturer, or motor vehicle dealer, the commission will issue the distinctive dealer license number or certificate of number as quickly as possible. The issuance of such distinctive dealer license number or certificate of number shall be in lieu of registering each motor vehicle, trailer, vessel or vessel trailer dealt with by a boat dealer, boat manufacturer, manufacturer or motor vehicle dealer.

4. Notwithstanding any other provision of the law to the contrary, the commission shall assign the following distinctive dealer license numbers to:

New motor vehicle franchise dealers D-0 through D-999

New motor vehicle franchise and commercial

motor vehicle dealers D-1000 through D-1999

Used motor vehicle dealers D-2000 through D-5399

and D-6000 through D-9999

Trailer dealers T-0 through T-9999

Motor vehicle and trailer manufacturers M-0 through M-9999

Motorcycle dealers D-5400 through D-5999

Boat dealers and boat manufacturers B-0 through B-9999

5. Upon the sale of a currently licensed new motor vehicle franchise dealership the commission shall, upon request, authorize the new approved dealer applicant to retain the selling dealer's license number and shall cause [his] the person's records to indicate such transfer.

6. In the case of manufacturers and motor vehicle dealers, the commission shall also issue one number plate bearing the distinctive dealer license number to the applicant upon payment by the manufacturer or dealer of a fifty-dollar fee. Such license plates shall be made with fully reflective material with a common color scheme and design, shall be clearly visible at night, and shall be aesthetically attractive, as prescribed by section 301.130. Boat dealers and boat manufacturers shall be entitled to one certificate of number bearing such number upon the payment of a fifty- dollar fee. As many additional number plates as may be desired by manufacturers and motor vehicle dealers and as many additional certificates of number as may be desired by boat dealers and boat manufacturers may be obtained upon payment of a fee of ten dollars and fifty cents for each additional plate or certificate. A motor vehicle dealer, boat dealer, manufacturer or boat manufacturer obtaining a dealer license plate or certificate of number or additional license plate or additional certificate of number, throughout the calendar year, shall be required to pay a fee for such license plates or certificates of number computed on the basis of one- twelfth of the full fee prescribed for the original and duplicate number plates or certificates of number for such dealers' licenses, multiplied by the number of months remaining in the licensing period for which [he] the dealer shall be required to be licensed. In the event of a renewing dealer, the fee due at the time of renewal shall not be prorated.

7. The plates issued [under] pursuant to subsection 3 or 6 of this section may be displayed on any motor vehicle owned and held for resale by the motor vehicle dealer or manufacturer, and used by a customer who is test driving the motor vehicle, or is used by an employee or officer, but shall not be displayed on any motor vehicle or trailer hired or loaned to others or upon any regularly used service or wrecker vehicle. Motor vehicle dealers may display their dealer plates on a tractor, truck or trailer to demonstrate a vehicle under a loaded condition.

8. The certificates of number issued [under] pursuant to subsection 3 or 6 of this section may be displayed on any vessel or vessel trailer owned and held for resale by a boat manufacturer or a boat dealer, and used by a customer who is test driving the vessel or vessel trailer, or is used by an employee or officer, but shall not be displayed on any vessel or vessel trailer hired or loaned to others or upon any regularly used service vessel or vessel trailer. Boat dealers and manufacturers may display their certificate of number on a vessel or vessel trailer which is being transported to an exhibit or show.

301.566. 1. A motor vehicle dealer may participate in any motor vehicle show or sale and conduct sales of motor vehicles away from the dealer's usual, licensed place of business pursuant to section 1 of this act allowing dealers to sell vehicles at public motor vehicle auctions or if either the requirements of subsection 2 or 3 of this section are met or the event is conducted for not more than ten days, and if a majority of the motor vehicle dealers within a class of dealers described pursuant to subsection 3 of section 301.550 in a city or town participate or are invited and have the opportunity to participate in the event, except that a recreational motor vehicle dealer classified in subdivision (5) of subsection 3 of section 301.550 may participate in such a show or sale even if a majority of recreational motor vehicle dealers in a city or town do not participate in the event. The commission shall consider such events to be proper in all respects and as if each dealer participant was conducting business at the dealer's usual business location.

2. Any person, partnership, corporation or association disposing of vehicles used and titled solely in its ordinary course of business as provided in section 301.570 may sell at retail such vehicles away from that person's bona fide established place of business, thus constituting an off- site sale, by adhering to each of the following conditions with regard to each and every off-site sale conducted:

(1) Have in effect a valid license, pursuant to sections 301.550 to 301.575, from the Missouri motor vehicle commission for the sale of used motor vehicles;

(2) No off-site sale may exceed ten days in duration, and only one sale may be held per year, per county, in counties of the third and fourth classification;

(3) Pay to the motor vehicle commission fund, pursuant to section 301.560, a permit fee of two hundred fifty dollars for each off-site sale event;

(4) Advise the Missouri motor vehicle commission, at least ten days prior to the sale, of the date, location and duration of each off-site sale;

(5) The sale of vehicles at off-site sales shall be limited to sales by a seller of vehicles used and titled solely in its ordinary course of business, and such sales shall be held in conjunction with a credit union and limited to members of the credit union, thus constituting a private sale to be advertised to members only;

(6) Off-site sales by a seller of vehicles used and titled solely in its ordinary course of business may also be held in conjunction with other financial institutions provided that any such sale event shall be held on the premises of the financial institution, and sales shall be limited to persons who were customers of the financial institution prior to the date of the sale event. Off-site sales held with such other financial institutions shall be limited to one sale per year per institution;

(7) The sale of motor vehicles which have the designation of the current model year, except discontinued models, is prohibited at off-site sales until subsequent model year designated vehicles of the same manufacture and model are offered for sale to the public.

3. A recreational vehicle dealer, as that term is defined in section 700.010, RSMo, who is licensed in another state may participate in recreational vehicle shows or exhibits with recreational vehicles within this state, in which less than fifty dealers participate as exhibitors with permission of the dealer's licensed manufacturer if all of the following conditions exist:

(1) The show or exhibition has a minimum of ten recreational vehicle dealers licensed as motor vehicle dealers in this state;

(2) More than fifty percent of the participating recreational vehicle dealers are licensed motor vehicle dealers in this state; and

(3) The state in which the recreational vehicle is licensed is a state contiguous to Missouri and the state permits recreational vehicle dealers licensed in Missouri to participate in recreational vehicle shows in such state pursuant to conditions substantially equivalent to the conditions which are imposed on dealers from such state who participate in recreational vehicle shows in Missouri.

4. A recreational vehicle dealer licensed in another state may participate in a vehicle show or exhibition in Missouri which has, when it opens to the public, at least fifty dealers displaying recreational vehicles if the show or exhibition is trade-oriented and is predominantly funded by recreational vehicle manufacturers. All of the participating dealers who are not licensed in Missouri shall be licensed as recreational vehicle dealers by the state of their residence.

Section 1. A "motor vehicle dealer", as that term is defined by section 301.550, RSMo, who is licensed by the Missouri motor vehicle commission, pursuant to chapter 301, RSMo, shall be allowed to sell, barter, trade or exchange a motor vehicle at a public motor vehicle auction held away from the dealer's licensed place of business. For the purposes of this section, the term "public motor vehicle auction" shall mean a person, firm or corporation taking possession of a motor vehicle by consignment, bailment or other arrangement, except by title, for the purpose of selling the motor vehicle at a public auction by a licensed auctioneer.