Advocacy

 

Your Voice in Government

Every January brings a new legislative session…and no two New York State sessions are ever the same. The issues will differ, the politics may change, and the session’s focus may change from session to session. However, the years of relationship building, constant advocacy and education done by the New York State Auto Dealers (NYSADA) has well-positioned the association to address the potential challenges brought by the new legislative session.

As in years past, NYSADA will continuously monitor policy initiatives advanced by the legislature to determine the various impacts on its membership throughout New York State. As we have done in the past, every bill introduced in the Senate and Assembly will be reviewed for impact to the membership, vocally supporting bills that encourage growth within the industry in NYS, akin to the efforts employed to enact The Franchise Motor Vehicle Dealer Act. And equally important, NYSADA will zealously defend against legislation that would negatively affect its franchise dealers.

Not only will we engage the state legislature on policy matters, NYSADA will continue to cultivate relationships with various agencies that have jurisdiction over issues of interest to the membership, including but not limited to the Departments of Motor Vehicles, Taxation, Transportation, Financial Services, Labor and Environmental Conservation and the Attorney General’s office. Whether the issue is assuring fair compensation for dealers, balance in the franchise relationship or the prevention of unwarranted interference in the sales process, NYSADA is in the forefront representing dealers’ interest. Our location, across from the Capitol Building allows us to be nimble in our advocacy efforts, due to our close proximity to the policy makers in government.

As stated, the NYS 2024 session will bring its own set of issues. While policy matters seemed to dominate the 2023 session, it is anticipated that New York’s finances could take center stage as priority number one during budget talks. We are already aware of the concerns voiced by the NYS Comptroller and other fiscal watchdogs regarding the potential budget deficit that will need to be addressed. We anticipate that the franchise model will continue to come under attack. We anticipate Tesla, Rivian and Lucid will continue their demand for direct sales. All of this is happening at the same time that you, as franchised dealers, are being called upon to make major investments to support the sale of electric vehicles. Legislators will need to hear that franchised dealers mean competition, customer service, community support, and are leading the way to customer acceptance of electric vehicles. NYSADA will be there to deliver that message. Built on the strong foundation of prior success, NYSADA stands ready to meet the challenge.

NYSADA’s Legislative/ Governmental Affairs Committee, comprised of your fellow dealers, will continue to oversee these efforts. The Committee is unwavering in its commitment to a positive interaction between franchised dealers and State government leaders.

NYSADA also has a political action committee (PAC) and a Gold Club. The PAC supports those elected officials that demonstrate an understanding of and support for the business needs of new car and truck dealers. The Gold Club takes the PACs efforts one step further by bringing dealers and leaders together for the mutual benefit of our industry. Vigilance, advocacy and political support are the keys to effective representation.