Vermont § 4084 - Legislative findings

§ 4084. Legislative findings

• (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the distribution and sale of vehicles within
  this State vitally affects the general economy of the State and the public interest
  and the public welfare, and that in order to promote the public interest and the public
  welfare, and in the exercise of its police power, it is necessary to regulate vehicle
  manufacturers, distributors, or wholesalers and factory or distributor representatives,
  and to regulate franchises issued by the aforementioned who are doing business in
  this State in order to prevent frauds, impositions, and other abuses upon its citizens
  and to protect and preserve the investments and properties of the citizens of this
  State. (b) The Legislature further finds that there continues to exist an inequality of bargaining
  power between motor vehicle franchisors and motor vehicle franchisees. This inequality
  of bargaining power enables motor vehicle franchisors to compel motor vehicle franchisees
  to execute franchises and related agreements that contain terms and conditions that
  would not routinely be agreed to by the motor vehicle franchisees if this inequality
  did not exist. Furthermore, as the result of the inequality of bargaining power, motor
  vehicle franchisees have not had the opportunity to have disputes with their motor
  vehicle franchisors arising out of the franchisor-franchisee relationship heard in
  an appropriate venue, convenient to both parties, by tribunals established by statute
  for the resolution of these disputes. It therefore is in the public interest to enact
  legislation to prevent unfair or arbitrary treatment of motor vehicle franchisees
  by motor vehicle franchisors. It is the Legislature’s intent to have this chapter
  liberally construed in order to achieve its purpose. (Added 1981, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. April 14, 1982; amended 2009, No. 57, § 1, eff. June 1, 2009.)