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Bill pushes review of rental vehicle regulations
The House of Representatives unanimously passed yesterday a Senate bill proposing to regulate motor vehicle rental companies in the CNMI, effectively sending the bill to the Governor’s Office for review.
Sen. Sixto K. Igisomar’s (R-Saipan) Senate Bill 20-55 flew past the House with no discussions.
The bill proposes to regulate motor vehicle rental companies. Regulations include disallowing rental companies to rent or lease a rental motor vehicle to individuals not in immediate possession of a valid picture operator’s license, as issued by the Commonwealth Bureau of Motor Vehicles, or BMV.
The bill also requires rental company to have an English translation of the rental agreement, with a clear copy of the driver’s license attached to it or any foreign language version of a rental agreement with an English translation and clear copy of the primary driver’s picture operator’s license attached to it.
The bill does not allow rental companies to offer rental agreement or damage waivers unless a copy of the rental agreement or damage waiver is sent to the Secretary of Commerce prior to its use.
It protects the consumer, which the bill presumes are mostly foreign, from mandatory additional charges by having the rental companies immediately disclose any charges associated with the rental of the vehicle.
“The rental company shall disclose as part of any quotations of price, including all quotations contained in advertising or by telephone, all payments a renter must make in order to rent the vehicle, including all charges provided,” the bill stated.
According to the bill, the legislation intends to protect renters from unfair or deceptive acts by rental companies.
“It is long overdue for rental companies to be regulated by the Commonwealth for the benefit of the people,” the bill stated.
