SENATE BILL REPORT

ESHB 1450

BYHouse Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives R. Meyers, Heavey, Schmidt, Walk, D. Sommers, Todd, Kremen, Jones, Zellinsky, Haugen, Wood, Prentice, Cooper, Chandler and Winsley)

Regulating motor fuel quality.

House Committe on Transportation

Senate Committee on Transportation

Senate Hearing Date(s):March 28, 1989; March 29, 1989; February 14, 1990; February 19, 1990

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Patterson, Chairman; Bender, Hansen, McMullen, Madsen, Murray, Nelson, Patrick.

Senate Staff:Brad Lovaas (786-7307)

                  February 27, 1990

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, FEBRUARY 19, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Motor gasoline standards were first established in 1937, and have been updated nearly every year since 1970.  Currently, 39 states have motor fuel quality standards.  Twenty-nine require all motor fuels to meet the standards of the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), and ten states have set their own standards.  Eleven states, including Washington, have no motor fuel quality laws.

Problems generally associated with gasoline quality include octane mislabeling, not labeling fuel containing alcohol, selling low octane gas as premium gasoline, and poor quality control, water in the storage tanks or poor blending procedures.

SUMMARY:

A motor fuel quality program is established within the Department of Agriculture.  The department is authorized to sample and test all motor fuels sold in the state.  All motor fuels must be registered before being offered for sale.  A wilful violation of this provision is punishable as a misdemeanor.  Eight hundred twenty thousand dollars is appropriated from the motor vehicle fund for the establishment and operation of a testing laboratory and the funding of the program.

Appropriation:    $820,000 from the motor vehicle fund

Revenue:    yes

Fiscal Note:      available

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENT:

The proposed striking amendment makes the following changes:

Language is clarified to state that the program is intended to inspect only motor vehicle fuel.  Marine fuel is exempt.  The Department of Agriculture shall adopt rules consistent with the federal EPA standards.

A civil penalty ranging from $100 to $10,000 is created.  The penalty will be assessed on the degree of severity of the violation, and the violator's previous history.  All civil penalties shall be deposited in the motor vehicle fund.

The appropriation of $820,000 from the motor vehicle fund is deleted.

The effective date of the program is moved from July 1, 1991 to July 1, 1990.

Senate Committee - Testified: Representative R. Meyers, original prime sponsor; Mike Ryherd, Time Oil; Pat Halstead, AAA; Gordon Mandt, AUTO; Stu Delaney, DOA