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States Protect Access to Propane Applications

Alabama, K ansas, Mississippi:
Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi:

Enact New Laws to Safeguard Consumer Access to the
Enact Ne w La w s t o Sa f eguar d Consumer Access t o the
Pr opane P o w er ed Pr oducts The y W an t and R ely On
Propane Powered Products They Want and Rely On

By: Jacob Peterson
n response to threats against consumer access to these protections beyond our supply infrastructure
propane, more and more states are taking action. In and extending them to the appliances, equipment, and
April, three states – Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi – engines that actually burn the molecule.
Ienacted new laws to safeguard consumer access to The issue of protecting consumer access to our
the propane-powered products they want and rely on. end-use applications has gained prominence following
The Alabama and Mississippi laws create new recent federal and state actions that have sought to re-
legal protections for consumer access to gas-powered strict access to various gas-powered products, including
appliances in building applications, while the Kansas law stoves, water heaters, and vehicle engines. For exam-
preserves consumer choice for all types of motor vehi- ple, multiple states have passed laws that will prohibit
cles. All three bills garnered bipartisan support in their the sale of new, non-electric passenger vehicles by
legislatures, further evidence of the sensible nature of 2035; and a Commissioner of the federal Consumer
these proposals. These actions follow the enactment of Product Safety Commission made comments last year
similar end-use protections that have been passed in about the Commission’s ability to ban products (i.e., gas
other states, including Florida, Montana, North Caroli- stoves) that cannot be made safe for residential use.
na, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Tennessee. NPGA will continue to support state efforts to

While traditional energy choice laws protect guarantee market access for propane marketers, and
market access for propane companies, their core focus ensure Americans retain the right to acquire gas appli-
is on ensuring energy providers retain the right to ances and propane-powered vehicles. For more infor-
extend service to a customer. This typically involves mation, contact NPGA’s Director of State Affairs, Jacob
safeguards for setting a tank and connecting a service Peterson.■
line to a structure. However, some states are taking

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