Proposed Changes to Motor Vehicle Dealer Franchise and Ownership Rules

Where This Stands

Currently Died in Rules. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Procedural history

19 actions

Feb 26, 2026House
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/4/2026)
Feb 25, 2026House
Added to Second Reading Calendar
Feb 25, 2026House
Bill released to House Calendar
Feb 25, 2026House
Reported out of Commerce Committee
Feb 24, 2026HouseCommittee
Favorable by Commerce Committee
Feb 20, 2026House
Added to Commerce Committee agenda

Show 13 earlier actions

Feb 9, 2026House
Now in Commerce Committee
Feb 9, 2026HouseCommittee
Referred to Commerce Committee
Feb 9, 2026HouseIntroduced
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
Feb 6, 2026HouseIntroduced
CS Filed
Feb 6, 2026House
Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
Feb 6, 2026House
Reported out of Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee
Feb 5, 2026HouseCommittee
Favorable with CS by Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee
Feb 3, 2026House
PCS added to Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee agenda
Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroduced
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
Jan 12, 2026House
Now in Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee
Jan 12, 2026HouseCommittee
Referred to Commerce Committee
Jan 12, 2026HouseCommittee
Referred to Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee
Jan 5, 2026HouseIntroduced
Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

The bill would have established new legal standards for how motor vehicle dealers sell their businesses or pass them to heirs, potentially impacting the financial autonomy of dealership owners and the competitive landscape of the state's auto market.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Motor vehicle dealers

They would have gained new protections regarding franchise transfers and inventory repurchases while facing new restrictions on ownership concentration.

Motor vehicle manufacturers

They would have been required to maintain specific dealer network sizes and adhere to new standards for rejecting franchise transfers.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 5, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Background

The bill was part of the 2026 legislative session and underwent committee review before failing to advance out of the Rules Committee. context

Summary

This bill would have updated Florida law regarding how motor vehicle manufacturers and dealers handle franchise transfers, ownership s, and inventory repurchases. It also sought to limit the concentration of market control by requiring manufacturers to maintain a network of at least three independent dealers if they distribute a high volume of vehicles to a single ownership group.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

The bill would have established new legal standards for how motor vehicle dealers sell their businesses or pass them to heirs, potentially impacting the financial autonomy of dealership owners and the competitive landscape of the state's auto market.

Frequently Asked Questions

What would have happened if a manufacturer rejected a dealer's proposed franchise sale?

The dealer could have filed a complaint with the state, and the manufacturer would have had the burden of proof to justify the rejection based on specific legal criteria.

Did this bill apply to all motor vehicle dealers?

No, the market concentration provisions would not have applied to any of motor vehicle that already had a licensed franchised dealer in Florida as of January 1, 2026.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Voting Record

Motion succeededlower3/4/2026openstates_bulkOfficial roll call ↗

Passage, Third Reading

Total

117

Yes

109

No

1

Present

0

Not Voting

7

Abstain

0

How they voted (117)

+ 93 more

Outcome not reportedhouse2/24/2026Official roll call ↗

Favorable (Commerce Committee)

Total

44

Yes

38

No

2

Present

0

Not Voting

4

Abstain

0

How they voted (44)

+ 20 more

Outcome not reportedhouse2/5/2026Official roll call ↗

Favorable (Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee)

Total

29

Yes

25

No

2

Present

0

Not Voting

2

Abstain

0

How they voted (29)

+ 5 more

Full roll-call analysis →

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Market Concentration Limits

The bill attempted to codify a specific market share cap (33.33%) for dealer groups, a move aimed at preventing the consolidation of dealership ownership.

Motor vehicle dealer Licensee

Connected Entities

organizationHouse Calendar“Calendar for bill scheduling”Map →

organizationSpecial Order Calendar“Calendar for bill scheduling”Map →

organizationCommerce Committee“Committee reviewing the bill”Map →

otherRule 7.18(a)“Procedural rule for laying bills on the table”Map →

organizationSecond Reading Calendar“Calendar for bill scheduling”Map →

organizationIndustries & Professional Activities Subcommittee“Committee reviewing the bill”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level

Proposed Changes to Motor Vehicle Dealer Franchise and Ownership Rules

Where This Stands

Procedural history

Version history

The Frame

Background

Summary

Key Facts

Why It Matters

Frequently Asked Questions

News Coverage

Voting Record

Sponsors

Discoveries

Market Concentration Limits

Connected Entities

Sources

Analysis Score

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