Car dealerships open on Sundays? Not on Utah Legislature's watch
Snow falls at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)
For 25 years, car dealerships in Utah have kept their doors closed on Sundays. In a state with a heavily concentrated Latter-day Saint population, Senate Republican leaders say that should remain the status quo.
After a 2025 bill that challenged that long-lasting policy was unveiled, the Utah Senate's Republican leadership said they would not be receptive to the bill, indicating it would likely hit a dead end.
SB136, titled Motor Vehicle Business Regulation Amendments, sponsored by Salt Lake City Democrat Sen. Stephanie Pitcher, and South Jordan Republican, Rep. Jordan Teuscher, would have repealed the Sunday ban on selling or leasing cars.
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Senate Majority Whip Chris Wilson, R-Logan, who owns a car dealership, described the proposal as 'a horrible bill' and an 'anti-family bill,' adding that some industry associations strongly opposed it.
'It'll force new car dealers to be open on Sunday. You're talking about 80,000 employees, you're talking about families,' Wilson told reporters on Friday.
After those comments became public, Pitcher confirmed to Utah News Dispatch she would not pursue the bill this year.
According to Wilson, this wouldn't allow Utah-based car dealerships the option to remain closed on Sundays because of pressures from franchise agreements. He said it would effectively take away local owners' choice of remaining closed on Sundays.
'What's going to happen is the manufacturers, they're going to come in and say, you can be open on Sunday,' Wilson said. 'Of course, we're franchisees, so we are under their rule, and they have a lot of control and they're going to come to a point where we're gonna have to be open.'
Since many operations don't have the ability to hire more employees, opening on Sundays would mean that the already existing staff would have to work more hours, Wilson said.
The Sunday ban was a policy that Larry H. Miller, one of the state's most influential business owners, heavily advocated for in the year 2000 to keep local dealerships, which closed on Sundays
Similar legislation was introduced in 2016 by former Santaquin Republican Rep. Marc Roberts, but it never received a committee hearing.
'Larry Miller, at that time, was concerned about employees, and knowing that being open seven days a week is just very difficult on families and employees, and we worry about finding employees that actually will work on Sunday,' Wilson said. 'And so it's a tough bill for our industry.'
Majority Assistant Whip Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork agreed. Car dealerships are good members of his community, he said, sponsoring the rodeo and other community events. So, he didn't believe the bill would pass.
'I certainly don't want to force the franchises down in my area, who are really incredible community partners to do something that they're uncomfortable with,' McKell said.
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