South Carolina Direct Sales Bill gets a hearing on Tuesday 2/11/25

[Scout Fan]

Update from Cody Thacker at Scout:

South Carolina Scouts! Your voice is heard: Direct sales bill gets a hearing on Tuesday!​

​

We’re making great progress in reforming the antiquated South Carolina laws that ban direct-to-consumer auto sales. Your outreach is working. On Tuesday, February 12, the Business and Commerce Subcommittee will hold the first hearing on the South Carolina Consumer Freedom Act.​

​

To be clear, this can be a moment where the bill either lives or dies. The dealer lobby is working hard to kill it. Legislators who were vocal supporters only days ago are, after speaking with the dealer lobby, now wavering.​

​

We can only counter this by showing up on Tuesday. Whether coming to the SC statehouse to show support, to speak in favor of the bill, or to see the circus, we would greatly appreciate any and all help that SC Scouts can offer.​

​

The details are attached, but in brief, the hearing will be held at 9:00 am on Tuesday in room 403 of the Blatt Building. Address is 1105 Pendleton St, Columbia, SC 29201. Crowds may be large, so you probably need to arrive 30 min early to get a seat.​

​

The hearing rules aren’t exactly clear, but if you want to speak in support, there should be an opportunity to sign up before 9:00 when you enter the committee room.​

​

 

[timmyhil]

Well Boys and Girls we have fought for one State now the rest need to be tackled! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

 

[quikster]

Unfortunately I’ll be across the country for work. Good luck

 

[NewScout]

Just for clarification, the meeting is on Wednesday, February 12, not Tuesday.

 

[AtomicPunk]

Well Boys and Girls we have fought for one State now the rest need to be tackled! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

Everyone has their own fight. I know the EV credits are huge to certain people. For me, if states continue to fight customer direct purchasing, that's big for me. I think the dealers are the evil elephant in the room. End rant

 

[joewilk45]

FYI scout DTC legal news article
https://apple.news/Al1O90L50Q5WYw7dWLTF5eQ

 

[dawg1]

Update from Cody Thacker at Scout:

South Carolina Scouts! Your voice is heard: Direct sales bill gets a hearing on Tuesday!​

​

We’re making great progress in reforming the antiquated South Carolina laws that ban direct-to-consumer auto sales. Your outreach is working. On Tuesday, February 12, the Business and Commerce Subcommittee will hold the first hearing on the South Carolina Consumer Freedom Act.​

​

To be clear, this can be a moment where the bill either lives or dies. The dealer lobby is working hard to kill it. Legislators who were vocal supporters only days ago are, after speaking with the dealer lobby, now wavering.​

​

We can only counter this by showing up on Tuesday. Whether coming to the SC statehouse to show support, to speak in favor of the bill, or to see the circus, we would greatly appreciate any and all help that SC Scouts can offer.​

​

The details are attached, but in brief, the hearing will be held at 9:00 am on Tuesday in room 403 of the Blatt Building. Address is 1105 Pendleton St, Columbia, SC 29201. Crowds may be large, so you probably need to arrive 30 min early to get a seat.​

​

The hearing rules aren’t exactly clear, but if you want to speak in support, there should be an opportunity to sign up before 9:00 when you enter the committee room.​

​

Is it Tuesday or Wednesday?

 

[ScoutMagnatta]

Hopefully today goes well for everyone in SC. Looking forward to seeing a update.!

 

[MavMaven1]

Anybody willing to supply a recap of the meeting? numbers in attendance? any known outcome? (presume not, deferred until a later date)

 

[timmyhil]

Anybody willing to supply a recap of the meeting? numbers in attendance? any known outcome? (presume not, deferred until a later date)

According to a subcommittee member of the SC House, its a “dead bill”. Scout Motors says its “paused”. It would have to be introduced by the SC Senate.

 

[joewilk45]

Does it not amaze others on this forum that before Scout picked SC they would have a deal in place to manufacture and sell their vehicles DTC within their location before signing a deal to invest 2 billion and create many new jobs as well as tax s. I know they received terrific incentives from SC but one would have to have been selling their vehicles within their manufacturing state. Especially since your model is to have an experience center to which customers are to see touch feel and drive off in their new vehicle.

 

[MavMaven1]

According to a subcommittee member of the SC House, its a “dead bill”. Scout Motors says its “paused”. It would have to be introduced by the SC Senate.

So if the bill to allow direct to consumer sales is dead, it seems at least local South Carolinians couldn't take advantage. Since Ohio permits DTC I should be good.

 

[MavMaven1]

Does it not amaze others on this forum that before Scout picked SC they would have a deal in place to manufacture and sell their vehicles DTC within their location before signing a deal to invest 2 billion and create many new jobs as well as tax s. I know they received terrific incentives from SC but one would have to have been selling their vehicles within their manufacturing state. Especially since your model is to have an experience center to which customers are to see touch feel and drive off in their new vehicle.

Seems like they felt that the workaround used by Tesla and others will work for them as well.

 

[joewilk45]

If what I read is correct scout got huge tax incentives towards their facilities. Taking those incentives may help them keep cost competitive. And they just set up in a state that's business friendly to their model and write all the sales through that state do 30 day temp tags and you register in your home state and they have some independent shops as distribution centers and train their staff to be certified to work on vehicles. Or tgg he ey go the Polestar route and sell DTC and have their sales and service centers beside Volvo dealerships this maybe a route they go to give VW dealers foot traffic all this will be figured out by people driving Bentley's not Scouts so time shall tell.

 

[vrgruver]

You cannot lease a Tesla directly in South Carolina because the state blocks in house financing with DTC. You have to obtain financing elsewhere. Hopefully they can go the route of limiting the number of stores as a worst case like Mississippi, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, and Illinois. HB637 in Florida would take some lawyer skillz to see if it allows or disallows through association to VW. I don't even play a lawyer on TV, so I won't attempt it.
I like the free economy and don't get much from a dealer experience. Since the biggest money maker is service, an EV wouldn't be desirable for a dealer since they need less mechanical service. QC like crazy and you won't have a bunch of manufacturing issues to service later. I am rooting for Scout to pull it off.