HOUSE BILL No. 5996

 

March 25, 2010, Introduced by Rep. Johnson and referred to the Committee on Commerce.

 

     A bill to amend 1984 PA 44, entitled

 

"Motor fuels quality act,"

 

by amending section 6 (MCL 290.646), as amended by 2006 PA 271, and

 

by adding section 4b.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 4b. (1) Beginning the first license cycle that begins at

 

least 12 months after the effective date of the amendatory act that

 

added this section, a retail outlet shall make available to the

 

public at least 1 full-service gasoline pump, which provides for an

 

agent or employee of the retail outlet to dispense the gasoline.

 

     (2) If a retail outlet sells gasoline at a higher price for

 

full-service pumps, the retail outlet shall not charge the

 

differential under the following circumstances:

 


     (a) The individual whose vehicle is being serviced by the

 

full-service pump is 65 years of age or older, as evidenced by the

 

individual's driver or chauffeur's license or Michigan

 

identification card.

 

     (b) The individual whose vehicle is being serviced by the

 

full-service pump is considered a person with disabilities, as

 

evidenced by special registration plates or a windshield placard

 

issued by the secretary of state under the Michigan vehicle code,

 

1949 PA 300, MCL 257.1 to 257.923, or as evidenced by a windshield

 

placard or registration plate of another state clearly identifying

 

the individual as a person with disabilities.

 

     (3) As used in this section, "differential" means the

 

difference of price between the amount charged at full-service

 

pumps and self-serve pumps.

 

     Sec. 6. (1) Before a distributor or retail dealer engages in

 

transferring, selling, dispensing, or offering for sale gasoline,

 

diesel fuel, biodiesel, biodiesel blend, or hydrogen fuel in this

 

state, the distributor or retail dealer shall obtain a license from

 

the department for each retail outlet operated by that person. In

 

administering the licensing under this section, the department may

 

attempt to coordinate the licensing with the licensing applicable

 

to gasoline administered by the department of treasury pursuant to

 

the motor fuel tax act, 2000 PA 403, MCL 207.1001 to 207.1170, and

 

the general sales tax act, 1933 PA 167, MCL 205.51 to 205.78.

 

     (2) A license expires annually on November 30 unless renewed

 

before December 1 of each year or unless suspended, denied, or

 

revoked by the department. Beginning the first license cycle that

 


begins at least 12 months after the effective date of the

 

amendatory act that added section 4b and as part of the initial

 

application or renewal application for a retail outlet, an

 

applicant shall demonstrate in a manner acceptable to the

 

department that he or she has available at least 1 full-service

 

gasoline pump as described in section 4b.

 

     (3) The fee for a license is $15.00 for each year or portion

 

of a year through July 31, 2002, $50.00 for each year or portion of

 

a year through July 31, 2003, $75.00 for each year or portion of a

 

year through July 31, 2004, and $100.00 beginning August 1, 2004

 

and each year or portion of a year thereafter. A license shall not

 

be issued or renewed until the fee and any administrative fines

 

issued imposed under section 10a have been paid. A hearing is not

 

required before the refusal to issue or renew a license under this

 

subsection. Fees collected shall be deposited in the gasoline

 

inspection and testing fund.

 

     (4) An application for a license shall be made submitted to

 

the department upon a form furnished by the department. The

 

completed form shall contain the information requested by the

 

department and shall be accompanied by the fee specified in

 

subsection (3).

 

     (5) The director may suspend, deny, or revoke a license issued

 

pursuant to this act for failure to comply with the requirements

 

provided for in section 3, for failure to provide notice as

 

provided in section 4, for violating section 31 of the weights and

 

measures act, of 1964, 1964 PA 283, MCL 290.631, if that violation

 

occurs at any of the licensee's retail outlets and involves the

 


transferring, selling, dispensing, or the offering for sale of

 

gasoline in this state, or for otherwise failing to comply with

 

this act or a rule promulgated under this act or an order issued

 

under this act.

 

     (6) This section does not apply until June 29, 1985.

 

     (6) (7) If a person licensed under this act is convicted of a

 

willful violation under section 31 of the weights and measures act

 

of 1964, 1964 PA 283, MCL 290.631, any license issued pursuant to

 

this act shall be revoked for 2 years.

 

     (7) (8) A suspension, revocation, or denial of a license of a

 

person who is an individual shall result in the suspension,

 

revocation, or denial of any other license held or applied for by

 

that individual under this act. The license of a corporation,

 

partnership, or other association shall be suspended when a license

 

or license application of a partner, trustee, director, or officer,

 

member, or a person exercising control of the corporation,

 

partnership, or other association is suspended, revoked, or denied.

 

The suspension shall remain in force until the director determines

 

that the disability created by the suspension, revocation, or

 

denial has been removed.

 

     (8) (9) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3),

 

beginning on July 23, 2004, the department shall issue an initial

 

or renewal license not later than 120 days after the applicant

 

files a completed application. If the application is considered

 

incomplete by the department, the department shall notify the

 

applicant in writing or make notification electronically available

 

within 40 days after receipt of the incomplete application,

 


describing the deficiency and requesting the additional

 

information. The 120-day period is tolled upon notification by the

 

department of a deficiency until the date all of the information

 

requested during the 40-day period is received by the department.

 

Requests for new or additional information by the department that

 

fall outside the 40-day period do not toll the 120-day period. The

 

determination of the completeness of an application does not

 

operate as an approval of the application for the license and does

 

not confer eligibility of an applicant determined otherwise

 

ineligible for issuance of a license.

 

     (9) (10) If the department does not issue or deny a license

 

within 120 days after the receipt of a completed application, the

 

department shall return the license fee and shall reduce the

 

license fee for the applicant's next renewal application, if any,

 

by 15%. The failure to issue a license within the time required

 

under this subsection does not allow the department to otherwise

 

delay the processing of the application, and that application, upon

 

completion, shall be placed in sequence with other completed

 

applications received at that same time. The department shall not

 

discriminate against an applicant in the processing of an

 

application based on the fact that the application fee was refunded

 

or discounted under this subsection.

 

     (10) (11) Beginning October 1, 2005, the director of the

 

department shall submit a report by December 1 of each year to the

 

standing committees and appropriations subcommittees of the senate

 

and house of representatives concerned with motor fuel quality

 

issues. The director shall include all of the following information

 


in the report concerning the preceding fiscal year:

 

     (a) The number of initial and renewal applications the

 

department received and completed within the 120-day time period

 

described in subsection (9) (8).

 

     (b) The number of applications denied.

 

     (c) The number of applications not issued within the 120-day

 

period and the amount of money returned to licensees and

 

registrants under subsection (10) (9).

 

     (11) (12) Before a blender engages in the transferring,

 

selling, dispensing, or offering for sale blended gasoline in this

 

state, the blender shall register the finished product with the

 

department and provide to the department test results as the

 

department considers necessary. If the product does not comply with

 

the requirements of provided for in section 3, the blender shall

 

provide the department with a written list of the business names

 

and addresses to whom the blended product is sold.

 

     (12) (13) As used in this section, "completed application"

 

means an application complete on its face and submitted with any

 

applicable licensing fees as well as any other information,

 

records, approval, security, or similar item required by law or

 

rule from a local unit of government, a federal agency, or a

 

private entity but not from another department or agency of the

 

this state. of Michigan.