Summary:

Model policy requiring retail station owners to make fuel tax information readily and visibly available to consumers.

Policy:

(1) The legislature finds that tax transparency is critical to understanding a citizen’s total tax burden and making sound decisions about energy and transportation policy. Providing tax information in a visible way is key to an informed citizenry.

(2) The department shall produce fuel tax stickers and signs (hereafter referred to “literature”) that may be displayed by owners of retail transportation fuel stations.  Such literature shall display and provide notice of the federal and state fuel tax rates. The literature must display the rate of each tax, in cents per gallon, for each type of fuel.

(3) The department shall provide notice of federal and state fuel tax rates to all owners and operators of retail transportation fuel stations, and shall make such information readily and prominently available on the department’s public website.

(4) The department shall provide such literature to all individuals who conduct fuel pump inspections, including department employees and local government employees. Government employees who conduct fuel pump inspections shall offer this literature to owners and operators of retail fuel stations, who may determine to display this literature on pump stations or in other portions of their retail stores to convey information regarding fuel tax information to their customers.

(5) The department shall provide fuel tax literature by mail to fuel pump owners who request it for display at their retail locations.

(6) The department shall produce updated fuel tax literature and information when one or more fuel tax rates changes. Retail fuel station owners and operators shall update any displayed fuel tax rate information as needed, so that such information remains accurate and reasonably current.

(7) Every retail station owner shall make the fuel tax information readily and visibly available to consumers in a manner of the owner’s choosing.

Approved by the ALEC Board of Directors May 24, 2018.