R151. Commerce, Administration.
R151-14. New Automobile Franchise Act Rule.
R151-14-1. Title.
This rule shall be known as the "New Automobile Franchise Act Rule".
R151-14-2. Authority - Purpose.
In accordance with the New Automobile Franchise Act, Title 13, Chapter 14, this rule governs adjudicative proceedings before the Utah Motor Vehicle Franchise Advisory Board and the executive director of the Department of Commerce, and is adopted under the authority of Subsection 13-14-104(2).
R151-14-3. Adjudicative Proceedings.
(1) Adjudicative proceedings before the board and the executive director are designated as informal adjudicative proceedings.
(2) In addition to Title 63G, Chapter 4, Utah Administrative Procedures Act, any adjudicative proceedings under the New Automobile Franchise Act shall be conducted in accordance with this rule and with the Department of Commerce Administrative Procedures Act Rule, R151-4.
(3) In accordance with Subsection 63G-4-103(1)(h), the executive director of the department may upon the executive director's own motion substitute an administrative law judge as the presiding officer to conduct certain aspects of the adjudicative proceedings before the board if the executive director determines that fairness to the parties would not be compromised by such substitution. The substitution order shall give any party who feels that such substitution would compromise fairness an opportunity to request the executive director to reconsider the substitution by submitting written objections and supporting arguments to the executive director. Upon reconsideration, the executive director may leave the order intact or make such other orders as the executive director deems appropriate.
(4) Except as otherwise expressly required or permitted in this rule or in the New Automobile Franchise Act, any correspondence or other submission shall be directed to the chair of the Utah Motor Vehicle Franchise Advisory Board at the Utah Department of Commerce.
(5) A notice of agency action by the agency shall comply with the requirements of the Utah Administrative Procedures Act, Subsection 63G-4-201(2). A request to commence an adjudicative proceeding pursuant to Subsection 13-14-107(1), shall be a pleading headed "BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, UTAH MOTOR VEHICLE FRANCHISE ADVISORY BOARD" and captioned "Request for Agency Action." The pleading shall substantially comply with the Utah Administrative Procedures Act, Subsection 63G-4-201(3), and the Department of Commerce Administrative Procedures Act Rule, R151-4-201 to R151-4-205.
(6) If the presiding officer determines that an answer to any notice of agency action or request for agency action would be helpful to the proceedings, the presiding officer may order a party to the proceedings to file an answer.
(7)(a) An evidentiary hearing before the board shall be held for a matter brought under:
(i) Section 13-14-202 Sale or transfer of ownership;
(ii) Section 13-14-203 Succession to franchise;
(iii) Section 13-14-301 Termination or noncontinuance of franchise; or
(iv) Section 13-14-302 Issuance of additional franchises -relocation of existing franchisees.
(b) An adjudication requested under any section not listed in this Subsection R151-14-3(7)(a) shall be conducted without hearing, as follows:
(i) the parties to the action may submit to the executive director or the executive director's designee briefs, memoranda, exhibits, expert opinions, and affidavits in support of their positions;
(ii) if it appears to the executive director or the executive director's designee that the matter raises issues of fact, the board shall convene to act as the fact-finder;
(iii) a meeting of the board that is convened pursuant to this Subsection R151-14-3(7)(b)(ii) may be live or electronic, according to the sole discretion of the executive director or the executive director's designee;
(iv) the parties may appear at a meeting of the board that is convened pursuant to this Subsection R151-14-3(7)(b)(ii) and may answer questions of the board and the parties may not engage in oral argument; and
(v) the board deliberations shall be conducted according to Subsection R151-4-703(2).
(8)(a) Pursuant to Subsection 63G-4-203(1), discovery is prohibited, but the presiding officer may issue subpoenas requiring the appearance of witnesses at an evidentiary hearing before the board or the production of documents;
(b) Any subpoena issued shall conform with the requirements set forth in Utah Admin Code Section R151-4-513; and
(c) The party requesting a subpoena shall comply with the requirements set forth in Section R151-4-712.
(9) If the presiding officer determines that written arguments would be helpful to the proceedings, the presiding officer may order the parties to submit memoranda in accordance with any scheduling order entered by the presiding officer.
(10) Any request for records of the proceedings before the board and the executive director will be governed by the Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA), Section 63G-2-101 et seq. Any schedule of records classifications maintained by the department shall be made available to the parties upon request.
R151-14-4. Registration.
(1) Each newly formed or otherwise not previously registered franchisor or franchisee shall request an initial registration form from the department.
(2) The department shall provide a renewal form to each registered franchisor and franchisee at least 30 and not more than 60 days prior to the expiration of the current registration.
