Senate debates whether giveaways (car washes, freebies) count in fuel price comparisons; SB 31 moved to third reading

Floor debate on Senate Bill 31 centered on how the state measures motor fuel pricing and whether non-fuel incentives should be included in price comparisons. Senator Moran moved to delete newly added language that—if left intact—would exclude incentives such as car washes or free drinks from the price calculation; he argued the deletion would protect small dealers from predatory promotion. "It seems to me that this ought to be counted," he said, describing concerns from car-wash operators.

Opponents warned that counting every giveaway would complicate enforcement and impose heavy record-keeping burdens. Senator Peterson used a lighter turn to underscore the policy stakes, recalling a recent free hot dog from a furniture store as an example of marketplace giveaways. Proponents stressed the bill's core reform—improved recordkeeping of price changes—would allow the Department of Consumer Services to investigate suspicious price conduct.

A floor amendment to delete the new language regarding freebies failed on a voice vote; the Senate then called the question and placed SB 31 on the third-reading calendar with a recorded count (reported as 17 ayes, 9 nays, 3 absent). Senators debated whether the matter should instead be addressed as part of the broader Unfair Practices Act in a later session.

The decision leaves unresolved whether the final law will specifically require inclusion of promotional giveaways when computing price comparisons; the bill proceeds to third reading for final action.