General Law Committee
AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF DEBIT CARDS FOR GASOLINE PURCHASES AND NOTIFICATION TO HANDICAPPED DRIVERS OF SELF-SERVICE PUMP REFUELING SERVICES
SUMMARY: This act codifies current Department of Consumer Protection regulations requiring gasoline dealers (e. g. , service stations):
1. offering a cash discount for gas purchases to display a sign on each pump or other dispensing device showing whether a debit card payment is processed at the cash or credit price and
2. with self- and full-service facilities to post and maintain a clearly legible sign on or near each self-serve pump, in a location and manner clearly visible to handicapped drivers, (a) stating that refueling assistance is available and (b) providing instructions on how to contact or notify the dealer or cashier.
By law, gasoline dealers with self- and full-service facilities must, upon request, provide refueling assistance to handicapped drivers with a special international symbol of access license plate at the self-service fuel price. Dealers that use remotely controlled pumps or have a single cashier are exempt. They are also exempt from the act's handicap notice requirement.
Under the act, violators of the (1) debit card notice provision are subject to a fine of $50 to $250 and (2) handicap notice provision may have their licenses suspended or revoked and are subject to a fine of up to $100 for a first offense and, for subsequent offenses, a fine of up to $500, imprisonment for up to six months, or both.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2014
OLR Tracking: DC: KLM: VR: am