Today, October 1, 2015, a new law goes into effect that will allow Tesla to sell cars in the state of Maryland. HB 0235, introduced by Montgomery County Delegate Kirill Reznik, passed a vote on April 13, the last day of the 2015 legislative session with only five minutes to spare.
The bill was supported by the Maryland Dealers Association which agreed to allow as many as six locations. However, General Motors wanted to limit the number to two locations. In the end, the bill was amended to allow up to four dealer licenses to be issued.
HB 0235 was signed into law by Gov. Hogan on May 12 at a ceremony attended by several Tesla drivers who represented the support of the Tesla community for the direct sales model employed by Tesla Motors.
Here is a summary of the new law.
HB 0235 – Sale of Electric or Nonfossil-Fuel Burning Vehicles
This bill authorizes a manufacturer or distributor to obtain no more than four licenses as a vehicle dealer if the manufacturer or distributor deals only in electric or nonfossil-fuel burning vehicles, no dealer in the State holds a franchise from the manufacturer or distributor, and the manufacturer or distributor does not have a controlling-interest relationship with any other manufacturer or distributor licensed as a dealer under the bill.
Effective October 1, 2015
