GNYADA’s 2021 Legislative Agenda

GNYADA’s Legislative Agenda reflects the issues of importance to our membership. Below are a few of our top Legislative Priorities for 2021:
 

DOC Fee Increase

     Raising New York’s abysmally low Doc Fee has been the top item on GNYADA’s priority list.   
           
     After several studies that GNYADA conducted on dealer costs for doing mandated registration and title work, the last in 2019, GNYADA recently submitted its newest and most comprehensive report, “Modernizing New York’s Titling and Registration System”, which includes a path that will allow dealers to set their own Doc Fee based on their own costs for doing registration work.
 
     This new proposal for a higher DOC Fee combines the idea of allowing for a market-based approach with a comprehensive modernization of the state’s titling and registration system. The proposal, which has been supported by all the regional and the State dealer Associations, was presented to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, the Lt. Governor, and to the Governor’s offices. 
 
     Over the past couple of weeks GNYADA has had briefings with the Governor’s Budget office to discuss how this proposal would positively affect the financial stress the State is experiencing. The Association pointed out that an uncapped but regulated DOC Fee, along with other measures outlined in the proposal, would create dramatic cost savings and increase revenue for the state and local governments.
 

Halting Direct Sales  

     A new bill introduced in Albany by Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid may permit an unlimited number of EV Direct Sales stores. These companies claim the Franchise System doesn’t fit their business model, an argument that environmental groups and key lawmakers are supporting.
 
     The bill currently before state lawmakers would not only allow all EV-only carmakers to open as many direct sales stores as they want, it may also be interpreted to allow legacy manufacturers to spin-off EV brands into separate companies outside the Franchise System. GNYADA will continue to push back on these efforts that hurt Franchise New car dealers’ businesses. 

     This is why it’s so important that we, as an Association, continue to support and elect candidates for public office that are pro-business and pro-dealer, no matter their party affiliation. Each year, the GNYADA PAC allows us to speak with a unified voice in support of political candidates who understand the industry and are willing to listen. To make a contribution to the GNYADA PAC contact Jennifer Berman at jennifer@gnyada.com or 718.746.5900.
 

Speeding Up Electronic Lien Releases  

     GNYADA, the metro dealer associations in New York, along with the State Association continue to address the issue of financial institutions failing to timely release liens long after final payment has been made. In some cases, dealers wait over a month to obtain a release, delaying the resale of a vehicle and creating serious inventory storage issues.
 
     DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder announced the creation of a task force to address this issue which GNYADA is involved. The task force is examining ways to increase lender participation in DMV’s Electronic Lien Transfer (ELT) program, lender acceptance of Electronic Funds Transfer transactions, and lender use of ELT to immediately release liens upon clearance of final payment.