SB 67

Bill Subjects

Abstract

(1) Existing law imposes licensing and regulatory requirements on vehicle dealers and vehicle salespersons. Existing law requires a dealer's place of business to have posted the license issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles to the dealer and to each salesperson employed by the dealer. This bill would instead authorize the dealer to post a true and exact copy of the license issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles to the dealer and to each salesperson employed by the dealer and would make other conforming changes. (2) Existing law authorizes the department to refuse to issue, to suspend, or to revoke a vehicle salesperson's license when it determines, among other things, that the applicant or licensee has acted as a vehicle salesperson or engaged in that activity for, or on behalf of, more than one licensed dealer whose business does not have identical ownership and structure. Existing law provides that the law does not preclude a vehicle salesperson from working at more than one location of one licensed dealer if the business of that dealer has identical ownership and structure. This bill would authorize the department to refuse to issue, to suspend, or to revoke a vehicle salesperson's license when it determines, among other things, that the applicant or licensee has concurrently acted as a vehicle salesperson and engaged in that activity for, or on behalf of, more than one licensed dealer unless all of the licensed dealers share controlling ownership. The bill would also provide that the law does not preclude a vehicle salesperson from working for more than one dealer if each dealer shares controlling ownership, as defined. (3) Existing law requires the salesperson's license to be displayed continuously during employment and requires that the license be returned to the salesperson once employment is terminated. A violation of these requirements is a crime. This bill would require the dealer to display the license or a true and exact copy of the license continuously at each location where the salesperson is actually engaged in the selling of vehicles. Once the employment is terminated, this bill would require all copies used by the dealer for posting or display to be destroyed by the dealer. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (4) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. (5) The California Constitution authorizes the Governor to declare a fiscal emergency and to call the Legislature into special session for that purpose. The Governor issued a proclamation declaring a fiscal emergency, and calling a special session for this purpose, on January 8, 2010. This bill would state that it addresses the fiscal emergency declared by the Governor by proclamation issued on January 8, 2010, pursuant to the California Constitution.