CT Tesla Bill 2017

[SureValla]

I got an email from Tesla the other day so I thought I'd start a fresh thread on the 2017 Bill in the CT House (HB-7097) attempting to make it legal for Tesla to sell its cars in CT.

As of right now the bill successfully made its way out of the transportation committee by a vote of 25-10

Please at the very least go in to the Tesla CT website and sign the petition. Consider also writing your representatives.

Link to info on 2017 Bill: Connecticut General Assembly

Link to Tesla's CT Website: Home - Tesla Connecticut

Link to find your state legislator: Connecticut General Assembly

Link to (failed) 2016 Bill: Connecticut General Assembly

I understand CT is a small state and that we are lucky to be able to travel a short distance to buy a car in MA or NY but if we really want to move the future towards a sustainable future we need all 50 states to allow sales. We need to do our part in that fight.

We have until May 4th (end of 2017 legislative period) to get this bill passed.

 

[Nikxice]

It looks as though the CT DMV is easily swayed by CARA. Apparently they're now attempting to shutter the Greenwich showroom.

DMV puts the brakes on Tesla’s Greenwich showroom

With regards to HB-7097, there doesn't appear to be any recent activity. Still a few weeks left. The 2017 CT legislative session adjourns on June 7th. Good luck to Tesla in CT!

 

[SureValla]

It looks as though the CT DMV is easily swayed by CARA. Apparently they're now attempting to shutter the Greenwich showroom.

DMV puts the brakes on Tesla’s Greenwich showroom

With regards to HB-7097, there doesn't appear to be any recent activity. Still a few weeks left. The 2017 CT legislative session adjourns on June 7th. Good luck to Tesla in CT!

wow

“[CARA] sent ‘secret shoppers’ to the Greenwich gallery in a failed attempt to trick our local employees into selling them a vehicle,” Diarmuid O’Connell, Tesla’s vice president of business development, wrote legislative leaders. “Despite these fake shoppers’ repeated requests, our employees did not sell them a car or take their order. What our employees did, and what they continue to do, is educate visitors about Tesla, its cars and other products, and broadly about electric vehicle technology and its many benefits

 

[Nikxice]

Monday HB-7097 was approved by the CT legislative finance committee, 25-20. The link provide by SureValla reflects daily changes in bill status.
Connecticut General Assembly

Looks like the bill could be headed for a House vote in a few days. To get it passed a compromise bill could also be in the works.

 

[shelbri]

From today's rally at Capitol Hill. Senator Art Linares is the speaker. He is a Tesla owner and sponsor of this bill.

 

[Nikxice]

Perhaps following up on last week's letter to the editor written by Elon,
Tesla In Connecticut
today's Hartford Courant has published a decent article highlighting the current debate.
Auto Dealers Fighting Tesla Pitch to Sell Cars Directly to Customers

Here's a paragraph I found interesting, "Tesla has formed a first-ever political action committee to allow it to spend money to persuade lawmakers to back the legislation. "Don't let Connecticut fall behind" is Tesla's message in a flyer mailed to residents being urged to contact their senators."

I wasn't aware of any direct mailings going out from Tesla to CT residents, but sure hope it helps to get it done!

 

[Dan_A]

Tesla pledges 10 CT stores, dealerships doubtful
10! Yes, 10 stores in CT in the next 2 years if the bill passes. That seems like quite a few for a small state that currently has almost none. I think this would include Greenwich and Milford, but still. Now we just need to get it passed.

 

[SureValla]

Tesla pledges 10 CT stores, dealerships doubtful
10! Yes, 10 stores in CT in the next 2 years if the bill passes. That seems like quite a few for a small state that currently has almost none. I think this would include Greenwich and Milford, but still. Now we just need to get it passed.

I cannot stand the blatent attempt to mislead people by CARA:

Jim Fleming, president of the Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association (CARA), which has led the charge against the Tesla bills, was dismissive of the electric car company's proposal.

Fleming noted that New York, a larger market, only has five Tesla stores.

"If they were to build 10 stores, I would be surprised," Fleming said.

Jim, in NY the law limits Tesla to 5 stores, that's why they have 5 (all in the metro NY area, none in upstate: Manhatten, Mt Kisco, White Plains, Brooklyn, Manhasset). Its probably not enough to cover a state as large as NY. He also doesn't seem to realize that the 10 for CT is stores + service centers.

 

[Nikxice]

Tesla pledges 10 CT stores, dealerships doubtful
10! Yes, 10 stores in CT in the next 2 years if the bill passes. That seems like quite a few for a small state that currently has almost none. I think this would include Greenwich and Milford, but still. Now we just need to get it passed.

An interesting twist to Tesla's CT pledge was revealed on Thursday. The pledge to open 10 stores in CT was contingent on the passage of the bill during the legislative session that ends next Wednesday, Now, regardless of the outcome of the bill, Tesla is considering adding ten galleries in CT, similar to the existing one in Greenwich. The whole article is here.
Tesla may add nearly a dozen galleries in Connecticut

A quote from the article, " Among the locations that Tesla is considering for its galleries are Norwalk, Westport, Fairfield, West Hartford, Danbury, New London, Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport. The first galleries could be open in a matter of weeks or a month or two, O’Connell said, if HB 7097 fails to pass." This news will likely keep Fleming and his CARA pals very busy.

 

[SureValla]

An interesting twist to Tesla's CT pledge was revealed on Thursday. The pledge to open 10 stores in CT was contingent on the passage of the bill during the legislative session that ends next Wednesday, Now, regardless of the outcome of the bill, Tesla is considering adding ten galleries in CT, similar to the existing one in Greenwich. The whole article is here.
Tesla may add nearly a dozen galleries in Connecticut

A quote from the article, " Among the locations that Tesla is considering for its galleries are Norwalk, Westport, Fairfield, West Hartford, Danbury, New London, Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport. The first galleries could be open in a matter of weeks or a month or two, O’Connell said, if HB 7097 fails to pass." This news will likely keep Fleming and his CARA pals very busy.

I feel like they should have kept that secret until the bill passed, now the pressure to create jobs by passing the bill is no longer present...

 

[Nikxice]

This morning I came up empty searching for news on HB 7097. Apparently CT Reps didn't even have the courage to bring it up for a vote yesterday, a step back from last year where a potential vote folded in the Senate. Tesla has already stated that they will be back next year. In the interim, Tesla is planning to open more galleries in the state. Throw in an eventual flood of Model 3's and perhaps CT constituents will began to open their eyes to CARA's FUD and distribution monopoly.

 

[SureValla]

This morning I came up empty searching for news on HB 7097. Apparently CT Reps didn't even have the courage to bring it up for a vote yesterday, a step back from last year where a potential vote folded in the Senate. Tesla has already stated that they will be back next year. In the interim, Tesla is planning to open more galleries in the state. Throw in an eventual flood of Model 3's and perhaps CT constituents will began to open their eyes to CARA's FUD and distribution monopoly.

yeah unfortunately it appears to have died

CT News Junkie | Tesla Bill Dies Again

Another General Assembly session has come and gone and Connecticut consumers will still have to travel to Massachusetts or New York to purchase vehicles manufactured by Tesla.

That’s because legislation allowing Tesla to sell cars directly to consumers was never raised for debate. It made it through the Transportation and Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committees, but was never called for a vote in either chamber.

It’s the third year in a row that Tesla legislation has failed to get through the General Assembly.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

Wheres the link to the Louisiana car mafia on facebook? We can start hitting them up, just like the CT one...

 

[Rocky_H]

With some activity going on recently, I'm surprised I can't quite seem to find a current thread on the CT sales ban. I have a question related to it that hopefully a CT resident can answer. In most states that don't allow Tesla to conduct sales activity, it's generally always a valid work-around to order online from Tesla in California and just have it delivered. That gets around the jurisdiction of the state because it's an online transaction with a company in California.

Someone told me that in Connecticut, they can't even get delivery there, not even by 3rd party car haulers. How is that possible? Can someone give a link to the state law that says this stuff? I'd really like to see the wording of it.

 

[tinm]

I've never heard that before. I've heard there are lots of Teslas in CT just no service centers (kinda like New Mexico!).

 

[shelbri]

CT has a service center located in Milford, CT. There is no issue ordering online. A sales rep from NY is allowed to drive into the state, bringing a Tesla and offering you a test drive. Tesla cannot discuss pricing directly with you from a CT based employee.

Tesla stopped delivering cars in CT because they were being accused of also selling the cars. They believe that other dealers were sending people in to attempt to get them to break the rules.

Delivery is now done either in NY or MA. However, you can have the vehicle driven to your location of choice in CT but that means it will come with miles on it.

I took delivery of my 2014 Model S in Milford but ordered online after test driving in Westchester, NY.

I've since purchased a 2017 Model S and the Westchester, NY showroom staff came to my office in Stamford, CT and provided a test drive for me. I took delivery in Mt. Kisco NY as I didn't want someone else driving my car.

Outdated, protectionist rules here in CT. Very disappointing. However, geographically it is a small state and not a big deal to drive over the border.