# Rhode Island H8213: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGULATION OF BUSINESS PRACTICES AMONG MOTOR VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS, AND DEALERS . Rhode Island H8213, AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGULATION OF BUSINESS PRACTICES AMONG MOTOR VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS, AND DEALERS ., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Patricia A. Serpa (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-06-22 (Signed by Governor — Chapter 179) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8213-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Rhode Island H8213 - State: Rhode Island - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGULATION OF BUSINESS PRACTICES AMONG MOTOR VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS, AND DEALERS . - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-02-27 - Last action: 2026-06-22, Signed by Governor — Chapter 179 - Sponsor: Patricia A. Serpa (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 2 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 3 (159 yes, 20 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 7 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Dealers can protest new or moved stores: benefit, medium. Before opening, adding, or moving a same‑make store in a market, the maker must send certified notice to the department and each same‑line dealer. Dealers have 30 days to protest. The department must hold a hearing, and the applicant must prove good cause using listed factors like investment, consu… - Written notice for major new‑car damage: benefit, low. Dealers must give you written notice before delivery if a new car has uncorrected damage or repaired damage costing over 6% of MSRP. Glass, tires, and bumpers replaced with identical parts do not count in the 6% rule. Repaired damage at or under 6% is not a reason to cancel after you accept deliver… - Family can take over the dealership: mixed, high. A named family member can succeed to the dealership if they give written notice within 120 days, agree to franchise terms, and meet current dealer‑operator qualifications. The maker may ask for reasonable personal and financial information. A maker can refuse for good cause, but must give written n… - Faster pay and fair repair rates: mixed, medium. Manufacturers must pay dealers for warranty and recall work at the dealer’s retail rate, including diagnostics. Dealers can set parts markup using 100 repair orders or 60 days of orders from the past 180 days, and set labor rate from last month’s non‑warranty work; the rate takes effect in 30 days… - Monthly pay for used cars under stop‑sale: mixed, medium. If recall parts are not available within 30 days and a Stop‑Sale or Do‑Not‑Drive order is in place, the maker must pay at least 1.5% of the used vehicle’s value per month while the order lasts. Value is the average trade‑in from an independent guide, measured at the later of the stop‑sale date or w… - Broader dealer protections and fair public offers: mixed, low. These protections apply to all written or oral maker‑dealer agreements, including franchises, sales, leases, security interests, insurance, construction, and service contracts. People who convert or modify vehicles before retail sale must follow these rules too. If a maker offers discounts or refun… - Clear rules on shipping damage and risk: mixed, low. Makers must give dealers written pre‑delivery tasks and file them and a pay schedule with the department; this filing defines the dealer’s product‑liability duty as between the parties. If the dealer chose the carrier or method, risk of loss passes to the dealer when the vehicle is delivered to the… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Patricia A. Serpa (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Deborah A. Fellela (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Earl A. Read, III (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-06-11 | House | REGULATION OF PRACTICES VEHICLE PASSAGE IN CONCURRENCE | pass | 62 | 7 | | | 2026-06-10 | Senate | MOTOR/OTHER VEHICLES--REGULATION BUSINESS PRACTICES MANUFACTURER Passage | pass | 34 | 4 | | | 2026-05-05 | House | REGULATION OF BUSINESS PRACTICES PASSAGE | pass | 63 | 9 | | ## Bill text - H8213 - As Introduced, 2026-02-27: [HTML](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8213.htm), [PDF](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8213.pdf) - H8213 - Substitute, 2026-02-27: [HTML](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8213A.htm), [PDF](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8213A.pdf) ## Related bills - H8104: AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- MORTGAGES OF REAL PROPERTY . (became law) - H8046: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE--PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- FEES . (became law) - H8025: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION . (became law) - H7866: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- UNFAIR CLAIMS SETTLEMENT PRACTICES ACT . (became law) - H7642: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- DISTRICT COURT PRACTICE . (became law) - S3363: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION . (became law) ## Sources - [H8213 - As Introduced (HTML)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8213.htm) - [H8213 - As Introduced (PDF)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8213.pdf) - [H8213 - Substitute (HTML)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8213A.htm) - [H8213 - Substitute (PDF)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8213A.pdf) ## Related - [H8104: AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- MORTGAGES OF REAL PROPERTY .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8104-2026) - [H8046: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE--PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- FEES .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8046-2026) - [H8025: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8025-2026) - [H7866: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- UNFAIR CLAIMS SETTLEMENT PRACTICES ACT .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H7866-2026) - [H7642: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- DISTRIC…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H7642-2026) - [S3363: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-S3363-2026) - [Rhode Island bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/rhode-island/bills) - [Rhode Island state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/rhode-island) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8213-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).