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Louisiana lawmakers pass bill to protect ‘freedom’ to buy gas vehicles
Posted on 5/18/24 at 9:03 am
Posted on 5/18/24 at 9:03 am
quote:
Louisiana lawmakers passed a bill Thursday to prohibit any state agencies from limiting the use or sale of combustion engine vehicles and to protect the public’s “freedom of choice” in buying the kind of car they want — unless it’s a Tesla.
House Bill 515, sponsored by Rep. Dodie Horton, R-Haughton, sailed through the Legislature with little opposition.
According to the bill’s text, it protects the “freedom of choice for private individuals in the selection of vehicles” and specifically prohibits state agencies from limiting “the use or sale of a new motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine.”
That same protection does not extend to electric vehicles, though a separate provision in the bill more broadly prohibits state restrictions based on the energy source of a motor vehicle.
The state has other laws that have indirectly limited the sales of certain electric vehicles such as Tesla and Rivian, two of the most popular electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers in the nation. Both companies sell their cars directly to consumers rather than through dealerships. However, Louisiana currently prohibits direct-from-manufacturer car sales, making it difficult for Louisiana residents to purchase from Tesla and Rivian.
During a March 19 House Transportation Committee hearing on a proposal nearly identical to Horton’s bill, Republican lawmakers spent much of the hearing invoking consumer choice and “free market” arguments while voting in favor of the bill.
However, they quickly reversed their own arguments when Rep. Aimee Freeman, D-New Orleans, presented a bill immediately afterwards that would have given Louisiana residents the freedom to purchase electric vehicles directly from manufacturers.
It’s unknown just how much of a hindrance the state’s dealership requirement has had on EV sales. The rate of EV registrations in Louisiana lags far behind most other states but is not the worst in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Manufacturers that still use the dealership model such as General Motors and Ford have a growing electric fleet available, and even Teslas are a relatively common sight on the roadways throughout large metro areas like New Orleans.
Consumers have found ways of getting around the state law. Freeman testified that she authored her bill because of a constituent who got an out-of-state relative to purchase a Rivian EV on his behalf and ship it there before driving it home and registering it in Louisiana.
The impetus behind Horton’s bill is an open letter that 16 Republican governors sent to President Joe Biden in January in which they accused him of enacting an EV mandate and a ban on gas-powered cars. It was part of national conservative talking points that claimed the Biden administration was taking certain possessions away from American citizens such as gas stoves and gas vehicles, though no such mandates or bans existed.
In 2022, Tesla filed a lawsuit against the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission and the Louisiana Auto Dealers Association, accusing them of anti-trust violations and conspiring to limit competition with policies such as the state’s dealership requirement. The U.S. Department of Justice is backing Tesla in the lawsuit, which is pending on appeal with the U.S. 5th Circuit in New Orleans.
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No objection here to Mrs. Horton's bill.
However, is there a reason Louisiana doesn't allow direct manufacturer to consumer vehicle sales? Is this middle-man requirement similar to the archaic booze laws in the state, which have been clawed back some, thankfully, the last few years to allow some sales from wineries and breweries directly to the consumer?
Posted on 5/18/24 at 9:09 am to ragincajun03
quote:
However, is there a reason Louisiana doesn't allow direct manufacturer to consumer vehicle sales?
Just republicans picking winners and losers by asserting the king’s control over the market.
Posted on 5/18/24 at 9:15 am to TBoy
quote:
Just republicans picking winners and losers by asserting the king’s control over the market.
I'd imagine the original restrictions and middle-man requirement was a bipartisan accepting of campaign cash and other goodies from dealership lobbyists.
Posted on 5/18/24 at 9:18 am to ragincajun03
quote:
this is a middle-man requirement similar to the archaic booze laws in the state,
FIFY
Posted on 5/18/24 at 9:23 am to TBoy
That law would almost certainly pre-date EV technology. If I’m reading this right, each of the updates to the law sound fair. Maybe they should put their heads together and just write one law covering both technologies. Allow people freedom to buy what they want and let the market play out.
Posted on 5/18/24 at 9:25 am to ragincajun03
quote:
Republican lawmakers spent much of the hearing invoking consumer choice and “free market” arguments while voting in favor of the bill.
The free market requiring a middle man. fricking morons.
Posted on 5/18/24 at 9:36 am to TBoy
quote:
Just republicans picking winners and losers by asserting the king’s control over the market.
Maybe republicans should add unnecessary and expensive requirements for EV. Like the democrats do for ICE.
Require EV to have a 400 mile on a charge range and all components be "green". That second one would effectively kill EV. Those batteries are made from some of the worst and most toxic components on earth. But because most of them are mined or created in other countries our liberal retarded greenies think they are ok.
Posted on 5/18/24 at 9:54 am to TBoy
quote:
Just republicans picking winners and losers by asserting the king’s control over the market.
You do realize that law has been on the books for years and predates electric vehicles, right?
Posted on 5/18/24 at 9:54 am to ragincajun03
quote:
is there a reason Louisiana doesn't allow direct manufacturer to consumer vehicle sales?
Originally, so that states could collect sales tax instead of sending those tax receipts to Michigan.
Now, it mostly so state residents can get a cut of car sales, and those dealerships owners support politicians who vote their way.
Posted on 5/18/24 at 9:57 am to ragincajun03
NYC is banning the sale of ICE cars by 2035. But they're not building new charging stations for public use. They've built a lot of stations for EVs used by govt workers but others are prohibited from using those. Laws for thee...but not for me.
Posted on 5/18/24 at 12:18 pm to ragincajun03
That’s great and all, but what about or insurance premiums on our homes and vehicles ? Why do we pay the highest amongst all Americans in this state? That’s what they need to be discussing .
Posted on 5/18/24 at 12:25 pm to TBoy
quote:
Just republicans picking winners and losers by asserting the king’s control over the market.
When have you been able to buy from the ford plant in any state?
And why haven’t democrats put in policy to changed this other than making vehicles more expensive? Louisiana has had 100s of years of democrats in charge.
This post was edited on 5/18/24 at 12:27 pm
Posted on 5/18/24 at 12:32 pm to Jspaspa3303
quote:
That’s great and all, but what about or insurance premiums on our homes and vehicles ?
Michigan, Florida and Connecticut are higher on the car insurance.
And Florida beats us on home insurance.
Still pretty shitty. But we don’t have the highest of either.
A couple of things though. Lawyers in Louisiana, and the citizens that can’t drive and drive without insurance. That’s why your rates are so high and Louisiana isn’t getting rid of any of those two groups of people anytime soon.
I was behind a dude earlier this week looking down on his phone constantly going into the in coming traffic lane.
There is your piece of flesh you should want.
This post was edited on 5/18/24 at 12:37 pm
Posted on 5/18/24 at 1:27 pm to ragincajun03
Should have went a step further and outlawed electric vehicles by 2035.
Posted on 5/18/24 at 2:00 pm to ragincajun03
How about pass a bill to fix the shite infrastructure in this state
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