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SB 834

Relating to facilities that provide mental health treatment.

2025 Regular Session

The bill protects dealers from retaliation when they disclose that a listed price is the manufacturer’s minimum and that lower prices may be offered, while letting manufacturers re

Effective date, January 1, 2026.
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Bill Summary · SB 834

SB 834 — Vehicle Laws: Manufacturers, Dealers, and Prices Listed on Dealer Websites

Status: Second Reading Passed (Senate)
Introduced: January 28, 2025 (read first time) — Sponsor: Sen. Waldstreicher
Primary subject: Transportation — dealer website pricing and manufacturer-dealer relations
Affected code: Md. Transportation Art., §15‑207(h) (amended) and §15‑313(a),(b) (re‑stated)
Planned effective date in text: October 1, 2025

Main purpose

To protect dealers that disclose certain pricing information on their public websites and to clarify what manufacturers may require about how prices are displayed. The bill aims to increase transparency for consumers while limiting manufacturers’ ability to retaliate against dealers for specific disclosures.

Key provisions

  • Prohibition on adverse actions for specific disclosures:

    • A manufacturer, distributor, or factory branch may not take an adverse action against a dealer for posting on the dealer’s website that:
    • the advertised price is the manufacturer’s minimum allowable advertised price (MAP); and
    • the dealer may offer a lower price than that advertised price.
    • This protection does not apply if the dealer violates §15‑313(a) or (b) (prohibitions on false/deceptive advertising or advertising without intent to sell) or any State/local law intended to protect the public.

  • Manufacturer ability to require inclusion of certain charges:

    • A manufacturer, distributor, or factory branch may require all of its dealers to include freight or dealer processing charges in the prices listed on the dealer’s website.

  • Existing advertising prohibitions retained:

    • The bill preserves prohibitions that a dealer may not use false, deceptive, or misleading advertisements or advertise a vehicle without intent to sell it (see §15‑313(a),(b)).

Who is affected

  • Dealers: Gain explicit protection from adverse manufacturer action for disclosing that an advertised price is the manufacturer’s minimum advertised price and for stating they may offer lower prices, subject to existing advertising laws.
  • Manufacturers/distributors/factory branches: Retain authority to require freight/processing charges be included in website prices but are generally barred from retaliatory actions based on the specified disclosures.
  • Consumers: Likely to see increased transparency about pricing and an explicit notice that posted prices may reflect manufacturer MAP rather than the final sale price.
  • State/local government: No material fiscal effect is anticipated.

Fiscal and enforcement notes

  • Maryland Department of Legislative Services: bill does not materially affect State or local finances; minimal small-business effect.
  • Dealers remain subject to existing prohibitions against deceptive advertising; violations of advertising provisions may carry criminal/penal consequences under current law.

Implementation / timeline

  • Introduced Jan 28, 2025; reported favorably and read second time in the Senate Feb 24, 2025 (per legislative records).
  • Text provides an effective date of October 1, 2025.

Bottom line

SB 834 balances dealer transparency and consumer information against manufacturers’ ability to enforce uniform advertising practices. It prevents manufacturers from taking adverse actions when dealers disclose that a posted price is the manufacturer’s MAP and that lower prices may be offered, while still allowing manufacturers to require inclusion of freight/processing charges and preserving anti‑fraud advertising safeguards.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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