Oklahoma City – State Representative Mike Dobrinski, R-Okeene, secured unanimous passage of legislation in the House that a legislative press release asserted “promises to modernize Oklahoma’s automobile franchise laws in a way that will best serve consumers, manufacturers and franchised auto dealers in the state.”

House Bill 2244 — a request from the Oklahoma Automobile Dealers Association — is now pending before the state Senate.

Originally assigned to the House Rules Committee, the measure was referred to Business and Commerce on February 20. In March, the legislation was amended on the floor and then secured 95-0 approval.

At this stage, available analyses from legislative staff say the measure would — if it passes both chambers and is signed into law by Governor Kevin Stitt — have no fiscal impact.

In a House press release sent to CapitolBeatOK.com in late March, Rep. Dobrinski said, “This legislation will improve the relationship between Oklahoma’s legacy franchised auto dealers and manufacturers while continuing to bolster the strongest consumer protections in the nation.

“This is about 10 years overdue, and the changes are quite lengthy, but it is necessary to protect consumers, our auto dealers and manufacturers alike.”

Dobrinski said H.B. 2244 preserves the long-term viability of new car dealers and their nearly 30,000 direct and indirectly linked jobs.

It would also, he said, bring Oklahoma more in line with other states that have modernized their auto dealer laws in recent years.

Peter L. Hodges Sr., president of the Oklahoma Auto Dealers Association, thanked Dobrinski for his work on the bill.

“On behalf of the new auto dealers in Oklahoma, I would like to thank and extend our gratitude to Representative Mike Dobrinski for his patience and ‘longanimity’ in seeing House Bill 2244 to unopposed passage in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

“I would also like to thank each of the members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives for their support of Representative Dobrinski’s bill that will bring a much needed modernization to the law that governs the relationship between the new auto dealers and their auto manufacturers in our state.”

Kevin A. Grover, chair of the Oklahoma Auto Dealers Association expressed his appreciation as well.

“On behalf of the 270-plus dealers, the OADA is very excited that House Bill 2244 passed in the House 95-0. Representative Dobrinski was our champion on this bill for the second year in a row, and we are extremely grateful and appreciative of his perseverance, resilience and commitment to seeing this effort get across this goal line.”

Dobrinski ran similar legislation last year, but it did not advance to the end of the legislative process.

In the meantime, he continued working with dealers and manufacturers to achieve agreed-upon language in H.B. 2244.

Grover said, “This year’s bill better serves the dealers and manufacturers who worked together cohesively to accomplish each other’s goals.”

Among other changes, this bill changes the name of the Oklahoma Motor Vehicle Commission to the Oklahoma New Motor Vehicle Commission. The measure also addresses items such as contracts between dealers and manufacturers, protection of consumer data, dealer rights, sales standards and more.

H.B. 2244, with Appropriations Chairman Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, as lead sponsor, is now pending in the upper chamber of the Legislature.

Note: Mike Dobrinski serves District 59 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes Dewey and parts of Blaine, Garfield, Kingfisher and Woodward counties.