HB 951

As Introduced
136th General Assembly
   Regular Session  H. B. No. 951
       2025-2026
  Representatives Robb Blasdel, Barhorst
  To amend section 4517.01 of the Revised Code to  1
  exclude semitrailers from the Motor Vehicle  2
  Sales Law.  3
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
     Section 1. That section 4517.01 of the Revised Code be  4
amended to read as follows:  5
     Sec. 4517.01. As used in sections 4517.01 to 4517.65 of  6
the Revised Code:  7
     (A) "Persons" includes individuals, partnerships,  8
associations, joint stock companies, corporations, sole  9
proprietorships, limited liability companies, limited liability  10
partnerships, business trusts, and any other legally recognized  11
business entities or any combinations of individuals.  12
     (B) "Motor vehicle" means motor vehicle as defined in  13
section 4501.01 of the Revised Code and also includes "all-  14
purpose vehicle" and "off-highway motorcycle" as those terms are  15
defined in section 4519.01 of the Revised Code. "Motor vehicle"  16
does not include a snowmobile as defined in section 4519.01 of  17
the Revised Code or manufactured and mobile homes. "Motor  18
vehicle" includes a "fifth wheel trailer," "park trailer,"  19
"travel trailer," and "tent-type fold-out camping trailer," and  20
H. B. No. 951  Page 2
As Introduced
a "semitrailer" but does not otherwise include trailers or  21
semitrailers as defined in section 4501.01 of the Revised Code.  22
       (C) "New motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle, the legal  23
title to which has never been transferred by a manufacturer,  24
remanufacturer, distributor, or dealer to an ultimate purchaser.  25
       (D) "Ultimate purchaser" means, with respect to any new  26
motor vehicle, the first person, other than a dealer purchasing  27
in the capacity of a dealer, who in good faith purchases such  28
new motor vehicle for purposes other than resale.  29
       (E) "Business" includes any activities engaged in by any  30
person for the object of gain, benefit, or advantage either  31
direct or indirect, including activities conducted through the  32
internet or another computer network.  33
       (F) "Engaging in business" means commencing, conducting,  34
or continuing in business, or liquidating a business when the  35
liquidator thereof holds self out to be conducting such  36
business; making a casual sale or otherwise making transfers in  37
the ordinary course of business when the transfers are made in  38
connection with the disposition of all or substantially all of  39
the transferor's assets is not engaging in business.  40
       (G) "Retail sale" or "selling at retail" means the act or  41
attempted act of selling, bartering, exchanging, or otherwise  42
disposing of a motor vehicle, including through use of the  43
internet or another computer network, to an ultimate purchaser.  44
       (H) "Retail installment contract" includes any contract in  45
the form of a note, chattel mortgage, conditional sales  46
contract, lease, agreement, or other instrument payable in one  47
or more installments over a period of time and arising out of  48
the retail sale of a motor vehicle.  49
H. B. No. 951  Page 3
As Introduced
       (I) "Farm machinery" means all machines and tools used in  50
the production, harvesting, and care of farm products.  51
       (J) "Dealer" or "motor vehicle dealer" means any new motor  52
vehicle dealer, any motor vehicle leasing dealer, any adaptive  53
mobility dealer, and any used motor vehicle dealer.  54
       (K) "New motor vehicle dealer" means any person engaged in  55
the business of selling at retail, displaying, offering for  56
sale, or dealing in new motor vehicles pursuant to a contract or  57
agreement entered into with the manufacturer, remanufacturer, or  58
distributor of the motor vehicles.  59
       (L) "Used motor vehicle dealer" means any person engaged  60
in the business of selling, displaying, offering for sale, or  61
dealing in used motor vehicles, at retail or wholesale, but does  62
not mean any new motor vehicle dealer selling, displaying,  63
offering for sale, or dealing in used motor vehicles  64
incidentally to engaging in the business of selling, displaying,  65
offering for sale, or dealing in new motor vehicles, any person  66
engaged in the business of dismantling, salvaging, or rebuilding  67
motor vehicles by means of using used parts, or any public  68
officer performing official duties.  69
       (M) "Motor vehicle leasing dealer" means any person  70
engaged in the business of regularly making available, offering  71
to make available, or arranging for another person to use a  72
motor vehicle pursuant to a bailment, lease, sublease, or other  73
contractual arrangement under which a charge is made for its use  74
at a periodic rate for a term of thirty days or more, and title  75
to the motor vehicle is in and remains in the motor vehicle  76
leasing dealer who originally leases it, irrespective of whether  77
or not the motor vehicle is the subject of a later sublease, and  78
not in the user, including any financial institution acting as a  79
H. B. No. 951  Page 4
As Introduced
lessor for a lease or sublease. "Motor vehicle leasing dealer"  80
does not include a new motor vehicle dealer that is not the  81
lessor and that only assists in arranging a lease on the  82
lessor's behalf or a manufacturer or its affiliate leasing to  83
its employees or to dealers.  84
       (N) "Salesperson" means any person employed by a dealer to  85
sell, display, and offer for sale, or deal in motor vehicles for  86
a commission, compensation, or other valuable consideration, but  87
does not mean any public officer performing official duties.  88
       (O) "Casual sale" means any transfer of a motor vehicle by  89
a person other than a new motor vehicle dealer, used motor  90
vehicle dealer, adaptive mobility dealer, motor vehicle salvage  91
dealer, as defined in division (A) of section 4738.01 of the  92
Revised Code, salesperson, motor vehicle auction owner,  93
manufacturer, or distributor acting in the capacity of a dealer,  94
salesperson, auction owner, manufacturer, or distributor, to a  95
person who purchases the motor vehicle for use as a consumer.  96
       (P) "Motor vehicle auction owner" means any person who is  97
engaged wholly or in part in the business of auctioning motor  98
vehicles, but does not mean a construction equipment auctioneer  99
or a construction equipment auction licensee.  100
       (Q) "Manufacturer" means a person who manufactures,  101
assembles, or imports motor vehicles, including motor homes, but  102
does not mean a person who only assembles or installs a body,  103
special equipment unit, finishing trim, or accessories on a  104
motor vehicle chassis supplied by a manufacturer or distributor.  105
       (R) "Tent-type fold-out camping trailer" means any vehicle  106
intended to be used, when stationary, as a temporary shelter  107
with living and sleeping facilities, and that is subject to the  108
H. B. No. 951  Page 5
As Introduced
following properties and limitations:  109
       (1) A minimum of twenty-five per cent of the fold-out  110
portion of the top and sidewalls combined must be constructed of  111
canvas, vinyl, or other fabric, and form an integral part of the  112
shelter.  113
       (2) When folded, the unit must not exceed:  114
       (a) Fifteen feet in length, exclusive of bumper and  115
tongue;  116
       (b) Sixty inches in height from the point of contact with  117
the ground;  118
       (c) Eight feet in width;  119
       (d) One ton gross weight at time of sale.  120
       (S) "Distributor" means any person authorized by a motor  121
vehicle manufacturer to distribute new motor vehicles to  122
licensed new motor vehicle dealers, but does not mean a person  123
who only assembles or installs a body, special equipment unit,  124
finishing trim, or accessories on a motor vehicle chassis  125
supplied by a manufacturer or distributor.  126
       (T) "Flea market" means a market place, other than a  127
dealer's location licensed under this chapter, where a space or  128
location is provided for a fee or compensation to a seller to  129
exhibit and offer for sale or trade, motor vehicles to the  130
general public.  131
       (U) "Franchise" means any written agreement, contract, or  132
understanding between any motor vehicle manufacturer or  133
remanufacturer engaged in commerce and any new motor vehicle  134
dealer that purports to fix the legal rights and liabilities of  135
the parties to such agreement, contract, or understanding.  136
H. B. No. 951  Page 6
As Introduced
       (V) "Franchisee" means a person who receives new motor  137
vehicles from the franchisor under a franchise agreement and who  138
offers, sells, and provides service for such new motor vehicles  139
to the general public.  140
       (W) "Franchisor" means a new motor vehicle manufacturer,  141
remanufacturer, or distributor who supplies new motor vehicles  142
under a franchise agreement to a franchisee.  143
       (X) "Dealer organization" means a state or local trade  144
association the membership of which is comprised predominantly  145
of new motor vehicle dealers.  146
       (Y) "Factory representative" means a representative  147
employed by a manufacturer, remanufacturer, or by a factory  148
branch primarily for the purpose of promoting the sale of its  149
motor vehicles, parts, or accessories to dealers or for  150
supervising or contacting its dealers or prospective dealers.  151
       (Z) "Administrative or executive management" means those  152
individuals who are not subject to federal wage and hour laws.  153
       (AA) "Good faith" means honesty in the conduct or  154
transaction concerned and the observance of reasonable  155
commercial standards of fair dealing in the trade as is defined  156
in section 1301.201 of the Revised Code, including, but not  157
limited to, the duty to act in a fair and equitable manner so as  158
to guarantee freedom from coercion, intimidation, or threats of  159
coercion or intimidation; provided however, that recommendation,  160
endorsement, exposition, persuasion, urging, or argument shall  161
not be considered to constitute a lack of good faith.  162
       (BB) "Coerce" means to compel or attempt to compel by  163
failing to act in good faith or by threat of economic harm,  164
breach of contract, or other adverse consequences. Coerce does  165
H. B. No. 951  Page 7
As Introduced
not mean to argue, urge, recommend, or persuade.  166
       (CC) "Relevant market area" means any area within a radius  167
of ten miles from the site of a potential new dealership, except  168
that for manufactured home or recreational vehicle dealerships  169
the radius shall be twenty-five miles. The ten-mile radius shall  170
be measured from the dealer's established place of business that  171
is used exclusively for the purpose of selling, displaying,  172
offering for sale, or dealing in motor vehicles.  173
       (DD) "Wholesale" or "at wholesale" means the act or  174
attempted act of selling, bartering, exchanging, or otherwise  175
disposing of a motor vehicle to a transferee for the purpose of  176
resale and not for ultimate consumption by that transferee.  177
       (EE) "Motor vehicle wholesaler" means any person licensed  178
as a dealer under the laws of another state and engaged in the  179
business of selling, displaying, or offering for sale used motor  180
vehicles, at wholesale, but does not mean any motor vehicle  181
dealer as defined in this section.  182
       (FF)(1) "Remanufacturer" means a person who assembles or  183
installs passenger seating, walls, a roof elevation, or a body  184
extension on a conversion van with the motor vehicle chassis  185
supplied by a manufacturer or distributor, a person who modifies  186
a truck chassis supplied by a manufacturer or distributor for  187
use as a public safety or public service vehicle, a person who  188
modifies a motor vehicle chassis supplied by a manufacturer or  189
distributor for use as a limousine or hearse, or a person who  190
modifies an incomplete motor vehicle cab and chassis supplied by  191
a new motor vehicle dealer or distributor for use as a tow  192
truck, but does not mean either of the following:  193
       (a) A person who assembles or installs passenger seating,  194
H. B. No. 951  Page 8
As Introduced
a roof elevation, or a body extension on a recreational vehicle  195
as defined in division (Q) and referred to in division (B) of  196
section 4501.01 of the Revised Code;  197
       (b) An adaptive mobility dealer.  198
       (2) For the purposes of division (FF)(1) of this section,  199
"public safety vehicle or public service vehicle" means a fire  200
truck, ambulance, school bus, street sweeper, garbage packing  201
truck, or cement mixer, or a mobile self-contained facility  202
vehicle.  203
       (3) For the purposes of division (FF)(1) of this section,  204
"limousine" means a motor vehicle, designed only for the purpose  205
of carrying nine or fewer passengers, that a person modifies by  206
cutting the original chassis, lengthening the wheelbase by forty  207
inches or more, and reinforcing the chassis in such a way that  208
all modifications comply with all applicable federal motor  209
vehicle safety standards. No person shall qualify as or be  210
deemed to be a remanufacturer who produces limousines unless the  211
person has a written agreement with the manufacturer of the  212
chassis the person utilizes to produce the limousines to  213
complete properly the remanufacture of the chassis into  214
limousines.  215
       (4) For the purposes of division (FF)(1) of this section,  216
"hearse" means a motor vehicle, designed only for the purpose of  217
transporting a single casket, that is equipped with a  218
compartment designed specifically to carry a single casket that  219
a person modifies by cutting the original chassis, lengthening  220
the wheelbase by ten inches or more, and reinforcing the chassis  221
in such a way that all modifications comply with all applicable  222
federal motor vehicle safety standards. No person shall qualify  223
as or be deemed to be a remanufacturer who produces hearses  224
H. B. No. 951  Page 9
As Introduced
unless the person has a written agreement with the manufacturer  225
of the chassis the person utilizes to produce the hearses to  226
complete properly the remanufacture of the chassis into hearses.  227
       (5) For the purposes of division (FF)(1) of this section,  228
"mobile self-contained facility vehicle" means a mobile  229
classroom vehicle, mobile laboratory vehicle, bookmobile,  230
bloodmobile, testing laboratory, and mobile display vehicle,  231
each of which is designed for purposes other than for passenger  232
transportation and other than the transportation or displacement  233
of cargo, freight, materials, or merchandise. A vehicle is  234
remanufactured into a mobile self-contained facility vehicle in  235
part by the addition of insulation to the body shell, and  236
installation of all of the following: a generator, electrical  237
wiring, plumbing, holding tanks, doors, windows, cabinets,  238
shelving, and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning  239
systems.  240
       (6) For the purposes of division (FF)(1) of this section,  241
"tow truck" means both of the following:  242
       (a) An incomplete cab and chassis that are purchased by a  243
remanufacturer from a new motor vehicle dealer or distributor of  244
the cab and chassis and on which the remanufacturer then  245
installs in a permanent manner a wrecker body it purchases from  246
a manufacturer or distributor of wrecker bodies, installs an  247
emergency flashing light pylon and emergency lights upon the  248
mast of the wrecker body or rooftop, and installs such other  249
related accessories and equipment, including push bumpers, front  250
grille guards with pads and other custom-ordered items such as  251
painting, special lettering, and safety striping so as to create  252
a complete motor vehicle capable of lifting and towing another  253
motor vehicle.  254
H. B. No. 951  Page 10
As Introduced
       (b) An incomplete cab and chassis that are purchased by a  255
remanufacturer from a new motor vehicle dealer or distributor of  256
the cab and chassis and on which the remanufacturer then  257
installs in a permanent manner a car carrier body it purchases  258
from a manufacturer or distributor of car carrier bodies,  259
installs an emergency flashing light pylon and emergency lights  260
upon the rooftop, and installs such other related accessories  261
and equipment, including push bumpers, front grille guards with  262
pads and other custom-ordered items such as painting, special  263
lettering, and safety striping.  264
       As used in division (FF)(6)(b) of this section, "car  265
carrier body" means a mechanical or hydraulic apparatus capable  266
of lifting and holding a motor vehicle on a flat level surface  267
so that one or more motor vehicles can be transported, once the  268
car carrier is permanently installed upon an incomplete cab and  269
chassis.  270
       (GG) "Operate as a new motor vehicle dealership" means  271
engaging in activities such as displaying, offering for sale,  272
and selling new motor vehicles at retail, operating a service  273
facility to perform repairs and maintenance on motor vehicles,  274
offering for sale and selling motor vehicle parts at retail, and  275
conducting all other acts that are usual and customary to the  276
operation of a new motor vehicle dealership. For the purposes of  277
this chapter only, possession of either a valid new motor  278
vehicle dealer franchise agreement or a new motor vehicle  279
dealers license, or both of these items, is not evidence that a  280
person is operating as a new motor vehicle dealership.  281
       (HH) "Outdoor power equipment" means garden and small  282
utility tractors, walk-behind and riding mowers, chainsaws, and  283
tillers.  284
H. B. No. 951  Page 11
As Introduced
       (II) "Remote service facility" means premises that are  285
separate from a licensed new motor vehicle dealer's sales  286
facility by not more than one mile and that are used by the  287
dealer to perform repairs, warranty work, recall work, and  288
maintenance on motor vehicles pursuant to a franchise agreement  289
entered into with a manufacturer of motor vehicles. A remote  290
service facility shall be deemed to be part of the franchise  291
agreement and is subject to all the rights, duties, obligations,  292
and requirements of Chapter 4517. of the Revised Code that  293
relate to the performance of motor vehicle repairs, warranty  294
work, recall work, and maintenance work by new motor vehicle  295
dealers.  296
       (JJ) "Recreational vehicle" has the same meaning as in  297
section 4501.01 of the Revised Code.  298
       (KK) "Construction equipment auctioneer" means a person  299
who holds both a valid auction firm license issued under Chapter  300
4707. of the Revised Code and a valid construction equipment  301
auction license issued under this chapter.  302
       (LL) "Large construction or transportation equipment"  303
means vehicles having a gross vehicle weight rating of more than  304
ten thousand pounds and includes road rollers, traction engines,  305
power shovels, power cranes, commercial cars and trucks, or farm  306
trucks, and other similar vehicles obtained primarily from the  307
construction, mining, transportation or farming industries.  308
       (MM) "Local market conditions" includes, but is not  309
limited to:  310
       (1) Demographics in the franchisee's area;  311
       (2) Geographical and market characteristics in the  312
franchisee's area;  313
H. B. No. 951  Page 12
As Introduced
       (3) Local economic circumstances;  314
       (4) The proximity of other motor vehicle dealers of the  315
same line-make;  316
       (5) The proximity of motor vehicle manufacturing  317
facilities;  318
       (6) The buying patterns of motor vehicle purchasers;  319
       (7) Customer drive time and drive distance.  320
       (NN) "Established place of business" means a permanent,  321
enclosed building or structure that meets all of the following  322
requirements:  323
       (1) It is either owned, leased, or rented by the motor  324
vehicle dealer.  325
       (2) It meets local zoning or municipal requirements.  326
       (3) It is regularly occupied by at least one person.  327
       (4) It is easily accessible to the public.  328
       (5) The records and files necessary to conduct the  329
business are generally kept and maintained at the location or  330
are readily accessible and available for reasonable inspection  331
from the location.  332
       "Established place of business" does not mean a residence,  333
tent, temporary stand, storage shed, lot, or any temporary  334
quarters, unless authorized by the registrar of motor vehicles.  335
       (OO) "Adaptive mobility dealer" means any person engaged  336
in the business of all of the following:  337
       (1) Selling at retail, displaying, offering for sale,  338
delivering, and dealing in adaptive mobility vehicles;  339
H. B. No. 951  Page 13
As Introduced
       (2) Selling and installing adaptive mobility equipment,  340
related accessories, and other goods and services to meet the  341
automotive adaptive mobility needs of drivers and passengers  342
with disabilities;  343
       (3) Providing maintenance and repair services for adaptive  344
mobility vehicles and adaptive mobility equipment.  345
       (PP) "Adaptive mobility equipment" means the mechanical or  346
electronic devices or parts that are designed to facilitate the  347
use of a motor vehicle by a person who is aging or a person with  348
disabilities, in accordance with 49 C.F.R. part 571, and that  349
are permanently attached to or incorporated into the motor  350
vehicle.  351
       Section 2. That existing section 4517.01 of the Revised  352
Code is hereby repealed.  353