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June 16, 2020

Dealer Advocacy Update

Spring Legislative Sessions in Columbus and DC Busy for Dealers

There has been a lot of activity at the Statehouse and on Capitol Hill this spring. Listed below are a few of the key items in which we and NADA have focused our advocacy efforts on behalf of dealers:

Dealership Essential Business Status– Much of our efforts this spring were focused on successfully convincing Governor DeWine that dealerships are essential businesses, both for sales and service.  We were appreciative that the Governor gave dealers the option to decide whether to remain open, especially since numerous industries were not deemed essential, and many are still yet to reopen.

*We also worked with the Legislature and the BMV to temporarily extend the temp tag, as well as establish dealer service options at county clerks of courts for titling purposes.

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – NADA worked with members of Congress to help create the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides assistance to dealers and other businesses impacted by COVID-19.  Just this past week NADA and other groups also helped move the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act to create more flexibility and timeline extensions to the PPP. Kudos to NADA Chairman Rhett Ricart from Ohio and the rest of the NADA team for leading those efforts.

State COVID Tax Legislation – OADA supported legislation passed by the Ohio Legislature to extend income tax filings to 7/15/20 as well as exempt PPP funds from state income tax and the commercial activity tax (CAT).

State COVID Liability Legislation – OADA supports pending legislation that provides relief to dealerships and other businesses from COVID-19-related lawsuits if certain protocols are followed.  Click here for our support letter.  Competing Ohio Senate & Ohio House versions have been approved, but a final product still needs to be ironed out between the two chambers.  We will keep dealers apprised.

Contracts – OADA supports pending Ohio House legislation that will shorten the period of limitations for actions on a contract from eight to six years.  However, the bill needed to be clarified to ensure provisions do not conflict with Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act (CSPA), which has a two- year statute of limitations. Click here for a video of our testimony before the Ohio Senate Judiciary Committee.

Ohio BWC Defers Premium Due Dates – Governor DeWine and the BWC deferred the due date for employers to pay their June, July, and August premium installments until September 1st to help employers focus resources on reopening their businesses.  The BWC also issued $1.6 billion in dividend checks to Ohio employers to ease the impact of COVID-19 on Ohio’s business community and economy.

We will continue to promote and protect dealer interests as we navigate the ‘new normal’.  One constant remains, though, and that is dealer grassroots efforts with legislators and PAC support will remain key to our future success.  Thank you to those of you who have been involved.  For those of you who haven’t, please contact me at zdoran@oada.com to learn how you can join the team.

Feel free to contact me with any questions.