BILL REQ. #: H-2153.1

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SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1622
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State of Washington

59th Legislature

2005 Regular Session

By House Committee on Technology, Energy & Communications (originally sponsored by Representatives P. Sullivan, Crouse and Morris)

READ FIRST TIME 02/28/05.

AN ACT Relating to regulating liquefied petroleum gas; adding a new chapter to Title 19 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     (1) "Clearly excessive price" means a price which exceeds one hundred and fifteen percent of the price per MBtu charged to a person who owns their own liquefied gas container.
     (2) "Cylinder" means a portable container that is constructed to United States department of transportation specifications that has less than two hundred thirty-nine pounds of water capacity and that is capable of storing liquefied petroleum gas.
     (3) "Liquefied petroleum gas" means any hydrocarbon or mixture of hydrocarbons composed predominantly of propane, propylene, butanes, normal butane, isobutane, or butylenes.
     (4) "Person" means a natural person, corporation, partnership, firm, receiver, trustee, or any organized group of persons.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) A person, other than the owner of a liquefied petroleum gas container or a person authorized in writing by the owner, may not:
     (a) Fill or refill a liquefied petroleum gas container with liquefied petroleum gas or any other gas or compound; or
     (b) Deface, erase, obliterate, cover up, or otherwise remove or conceal any name, mark, initial, or device on a liquefied petroleum gas container.
     (2) This section does not apply to cylinders.
     (3) A person violating this section is subject to a one thousand dollar fine payable to the county where the violation occurs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 It is a violation of the consumer protection act, chapter 19.86 RCW, to charge a clearly excessive price per MBtu of liquefied petroleum gas to a person who owns their own liquefied gas container, or to charge more than a reasonable inspection fee in refilling such a container.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 Sections 1 through 3 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 19 RCW.

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