Advocating for Dealers: Legislative Action, Industry Strength, and HADA’s Continued Commitment

By Steven Wolf, 2025 HADA Chairman

As we navigate 2025, and I return as chairman, I’m dedicated to seeing HADA remain steadfast in its mission to support and advocate for Houston’s dealers.

And I’ve jumped in feet first to start this year’s legislative session. On February 25, the Texas Auto Dealers Association hosted Houston Dealer Day at the Capitol, where we met with local senators and representatives. This year, our legislative efforts are focused on several key areas that impact dealership operations and the broader automotive market.

One of the most significant upcoming changes is the implementation of hard plates in July, eliminating temporary paper plates for new vehicle purchases. We are actively advocating for a revision that would allow plates to follow the owner to their newly purchased vehicle rather than staying with the traded-in vehicle. This change would reduce the number of plates dealers must store onsite, streamlining operations and improving efficiency.

Additionally, we’re working on legislation that would ensure that dealers receive adequate reimbursement for warranty and recall work. And, of course, we continue working to protect the franchise laws, preserving a fair and competitive market that supports Texas’ ongoing success.

Beyond legislative advocacy, HADA provides significant benefits to our members. Through its efforts, they have successfully secured key advantages for dealers, such as the deputy fee, the increase of the documentary fee, and maintaining the blue law, which prevents dealerships from operating seven days a week. These measures help control dealership operation costs as the overall cost of doing business continues to rise.

Another major asset for our members is our Dealer Alerts program. The Houston Police Chief has also prioritized this initiative by adding two additional detectives to Sgt. Schlosser’s team, further strengthening their ability to combat fraud and capture criminals targeting dealerships. If you’re not receiving these alerts, don’t hesitate to get in touch with HADA to get on the list. 

The strength of HADA lies in its members. As we look to the future, we aim to grow our membership and encourage dealerships that are not yet members to join. We also welcome associate members—if you work with a great business that could benefit from HADA membership, please refer them to us.

Thank you for your continued support of HADA. Together, we will continue to advocate for our industry, strengthen our businesses, and ensure a prosperous future for Houston’s automotive dealers.