Senate committee approves bill letting LP gas board adopt NFPA 58 safety standard

The Arkansas Senate Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee on Tuesday approved Senate Bill 275, a measure that would allow the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board (LPGB) to adopt the 2020 edition of the National Fire Protection Association's NFPA 58 standard by administrative rule.

Senator Missy Irvin, District 24, presented the bill, telling the committee it “enables the LPGB to adopt by rule the requirements of nationally recognized safety standards of national fire protection pamphlet 58, which is the 2020 edition regarding the storage handling transportation and use of liquefied petroleum.” She said the change would let the board adopt those standards through the rulemaking process with public comment and Administrative Law Committee review and would repeal any unnecessary statutory provisions.

Irvin said the change “will reduce the burden on the industry by streamlining and standardizing Arkansas's liquefied petroleum rules,” and that the measure has consensus support from the LP Gas Board and the Arkansas Propane Gas Association. No one signed up to speak for or against the bill at the committee hearing.

A motion to advance the bill was made on the floor of the committee and the committee voted in favor. The chair called for the ayes and recorded no opposition; the committee advanced the bill for further processing.

The bill’s sponsor and supporters argued the measure promotes safety and training by aligning state rules with national standards; the committee did not receive opposing testimony during the hearing.

Senate Bill 275 will proceed according to the legislature’s normal committee and rulemaking review processes.