H-1031.2 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1580
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 Regular Session
By Representatives Chandler, Hochstatter, R. Fisher, McLean, Grant, Nealey, Paris, Winsley, Casada, Rayburn, Moyer, Betrozoff, Morton, Prince, Ferguson, Vance, D. Sommers, Jacobsen, R. King, Bowman, Fuhrman, Ludwig, Inslee, Miller, Silver, Broback, P. Johnson and Wynne.
Read first time February 4, 1991. Referred to Committee on Energy & Utilities.
AN ACT Relating to motor vehicle fuel; adding a new chapter to Title 46; creating a new section; prescribing penalties; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that Washington state should begin taking steps to achieve the goal of energy self-sufficiency. The legislature finds that the use of ethanol-blended fuels in motor vehicles creates the opportunity for the state to reduce its dependency on imported oil. The legislature finds that the state can also expand the market for agricultural and other domestic feedstocks by increasing the use of ethanol.
Therefore, the legislature intends to establish ten percent ethanol as a minimum percentage of each gallon of gasoline sold in Washington, and to require that all retail motor vehicle fuel sales of gasoline meet this standard.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.
(1) "Gasohol" means a mixture of ninety percent gasoline and ten percent ethanol by volume.
(2) "Department" means the department of agriculture.
(3) "Director" means the director of the department of agriculture.
(4) "Ethanol" means any ethyl alcohol that is suitable for use by itself or in combination with other fuels as a motor fuel, except that it does not include ethanol produced from petroleum or natural gas.
(5) "Motor fuel" means any substance suitable as a fuel for self-propelled vehicles designed primarily for use on public streets, roads, and highways. The term "motor fuel" does not include any type of diesel fuel substance.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. After January 1, 1993, all gasoline sold by a dealer or a service station, as both are defined in RCW 82.36.010, in this state shall be gasohol. Aviation gasoline sold for use in aircraft shall be exempt.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The director shall have authority to order any gasoline dealer or service station, as both are defined in RCW 82.36.010, not offering gasohol for sale to stop sales of all motor vehicle fuel. The retailer may reopen the outlet as soon as his or her supply of gasohol has been delivered and is ready for sale.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Any retail outlet that is notified for the second time, and any subsequent time after that by the director, to close for failing to provide gasohol for sale, shall pay to the department a civil penalty of four hundred dollars in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW. The director shall deposit these funds in the gasohol sales enforcement account.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The sum of fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the department of agriculture for the purposes of the gasohol sales enforcement account.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 2 through 5 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 46 RCW.