Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Local Government Committee

HB 2783

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Bill

Requires the State Building Code Council to develop a permitting process for mobile on-demand gasoline providers, and mandates that such a permit need only be obtained once for each mobile fueling vehicle.
Requires the State Building Code Council to develop criteria to identify standard locations at which mobile on-demand gasoline providers can operate without prior approval, as well as nonstandard cites where prior approval is required.

Background:

The State Building Code Council is responsible for updating, maintaining, and amending the State Building Code. The Code is comprised of various international model codes, including building, residential, and plumbing codes. These codes establish minimum standards for construction, engineering, and safety. Local jurisdictions are required to enforce the provisions of the Code.

The International Fire Code is one of the codes included within the State Building Code. Local officials, often local fire marshals, enforce this code.

A mobile on-demand fuel provider uses mobile fueling vehicles to deliver gasoline directly to customers' vehicles.

Summary of Bill:

The State Building Code Council (Council) must adopt rules to establish statewide processes and standards for approving mobile on-demand gasoline providers (providers) to operate throughout the state. This process must only require that a provider obtain a single permit for each mobile fueling vehicle, and must provide that such a permit have reciprocal effect throughout the state. A permit for a mobile fueling vehicle can be obtained from any local fire marshal, and a valid permit must be accepted as a sufficient basis to issue a permit by all other fire marshals throughout the state.

The Council must develop a set of criteria to identify a category of standard locations that do not present unusual safety or environmental concerns at which providers can operate without prior site approval. The Council must also develop criteria to identify a category of nonstandard locations at which, due to the presence of unusual safety or environmental concerns, a provider may not operate without prior local fire marshal approval. Local fire marshals retain the authority to inspect a standard fueling location, to add additional requirements to operate at a location, and to prohibit a provider from operating at a location due to a specific safety or environmental reason.