WSR 14-07-027

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed March 10, 2014, 9:24 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Motor vehicle dealer rebate advertising.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 46.70.160, 46.70.180.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The Washington state new car vehicle industry has requested a change to the existing rebate advertising rules to prohibit rebate offers from being subtracted from the vehicle offering price, unless generally available to the public. The change is expected to provide the new car buying public a more accurate way of comparing advertising prices between dealers.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: Office of attorney general.

Rebate advertising complaints will be reviewed by the department of licensing (DOL) with possible enforcement coordination with the office of the attorney general, consumer protection division.

Process for Developing New Rule: Negotiated rule making, DOL has been working with the office of attorney general, consumer protection division, and Washington State Auto Dealer Association in developing the rule change.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. Interested parties may send in comments by mail, phone, fax or e-mail. Additional information will be posted on the vehicle dealer licensing web site as it becomes available at http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/vehiclevesseldealer/dlrdealer.html; mail Heidi Graham, Dealer and Manufacturer Services, Business and Professions Division, DOL, P.O. Box 9039, Olympia, WA 98507-9039, phone (360) 664-6455, e-mail hgraham@dol.wa.gov, fax (360) 586-6703.

March 10, 2014

Damon Monroe

Rules Coordinator