Senator Weaver outlines bill to limit large propane filling facilities after explosion near healthcare hub

Senator April Weaver, sponsor of the measure identified in committee as SB 320 (file number not voted on), told the committee she brought the proposal after a March 28 explosion at a liquefied petroleum gas facility in her district that threatened nearby health-care buildings and neighborhoods.

Weaver said the event affected about 400 day-shift health-care employees, 126 assisted-living residents, 120 nursing-home residents and roughly 2,000 users of a wellness center; it also interrupted a high-school baseball game and sent shrapnel as far as 800 feet into surrounding neighborhoods and businesses. “It was a near miss, but what has occurred is totally unacceptable,” Weaver said.

Weaver presented an amendment that she said would limit the bill’s scope to very large propane/gas facilities that fill multiple smaller portable tanks for shipment and would not apply to the small consumer tanks sold at retail stores. “I am not trying to shut down anybody’s gas grills,” she said. “I’m trying to call attention to the danger of a petroleum gas facility located in the middle of a health-care epicenter.”

Why it matters: Weaver told the committee people in her district called with fears for relatives in the nursing home and for students when the facility exploded. The sponsor said she is not seeking an immediate floor vote; she plans to pre-file the amended bill for next legislative session and urged stakeholders to work toward public-safety solutions in the interim.

Committee action: A motion to adopt the sponsor’s amendment was made and seconded by committee leadership (movers/second not specified in the transcript). The clerk called the roll and the amendment was adopted. The chair said the bill would be carried over as amended to the next session rather than taken up for final passage today.

Discussion and concerns: Committee members asked about the amendment’s impact on rural businesses and whether there would be a grandfathering provision for preexisting operations. One senator urged Weaver to consider including a grandfather clause for businesses already operating at the facility site so that owners would know whether relocation or closure would be required if the bill is enacted. Weaver said she would consider that as she refines the legislation.

Next steps: The committee did not take final action on SB 320. The amendment is on record as adopted and the sponsor said she intends to pre-file the bill as amended next year and continue discussions with affected businesses and public-safety officials.

Ending: The chair thanked the sponsor and said the committee would carry the bill over; Weaver said she would be available to discuss details offline.