(a) It shall be unlawful for any dealer to sell or distribute any new recreational vehicle in Georgia unless the dealer has a franchise dealership agreement with a grantor with the express right to sell or distribute recreational vehicles in Georgia and meets the requirements and definitions provided in this article. Any dealer who does not meet the requirements of this article may participate in events where recreational vehicles are exhibited or demonstrated and seminars are provided but shall be prohibited from contracting to sell or distribute recreational vehicles to the public.

(b) Subsection (a) of this Code section shall not apply to:

(1) The sale of recreational vehicles at events sponsored by a Georgia based recreational vehicle grantor with manufacturing facilities located in this state, where recreational vehicles are sold or contracted for by its franchised out-of-state recreational vehicle dealers;

(2) Any convention or rally involving more than 2,500 recreational vehicles which are preregistered with the sponsor of said event, owned by individuals attending such convention or rally, and there for the personal use of their owners for the purpose of camping and not for sale or display; provided, however, that no dealers from outside of this state shall be invited to said event by a participating manufacturer unless all franchised Georgia dealers for such participating manufacturer shall be invited to said event, and there shall be no discrimination in terms of sales by a manufacturer to any franchised Georgia dealer for recreational vehicles to be sold at the convention or rally; nor shall any franchised Georgia dealer be required by a manufacturer to purchase inventory in addition to that required under a current franchise agreement between the manufacturer and such dealer in order for the dealer to participate in such convention or rally. Out-of-state dealers shall register with the Department of Revenue and purchase a permit 30 days prior to participating in any rally or convention in Georgia. The cost of such permit shall be $500.00 per dealer. Any manufacturer or dealer that violates this paragraph shall not be eligible to participate in any such events; or

(3) Any dealer at a convention or rally if:

(A) There are ten or more dealers from this state participating in such convention or rally; and

(B) Such convention or rally takes place at a location other than the principal place of business of any of the dealers participating in such convention or rally.

Nothing in this subsection shall be applied to impair an obligation of a contract existing on March 14, 2008.

(c) The state revenue commissioner and the Department of Revenue shall enforce this Code section in the same manner as provided by Code Sections 10-1-666 and 10-1-667 for violations of Article 22 of this chapter.