Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee advances bill requiring consumer warning labels on fuel pumps after heated debate
Summary
The House Energy & Environment Committee voted 7–6 to advance House Bill 12-77, a bill requiring conspicuous point-of-purchase labels at fuel pumps stating that burning fuel releases greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. Sponsors call it a transparency and public-health tool; retailers and trade groups called it burdensome and legally risky.
The House Energy & Environment Committee on March 11 voted 7–6 to send House Bill 12-77 to the Committee of the Whole after several hours of testimony for and against a new requirement that fuel retailers post a short, conspicuous label at pumps and on packaged fuel stating that burning the product releases greenhouse gases and other air pollutants.
Proponents, led by Rep. Junie Joseph and assistant majority leader AML Bacon, told the committee the label is a targeted public-health and consumer-transparency measure. “House Bill 12-77 aims to increase consumer awareness of the environmental and health impact of fuel consumption,” Rep. Joseph said in introducing the measure. Sponsors said the committee amendments adopted during the hearing narrow the text, require the label in English and Spanish, set a minimum type size, and direct enforcement through consumer-protection authorities rather than creating a new enforcement agency.
Supporters included public-health groups, environmental organizations and university scientists. Pediatrician…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
