Given the inherent freedom that cars provide, the notion of gas stations that aren’t self-service seems counterintuitive, but that’s been the case in Oregon for the last 72 years. That is, until now, as a new bill was just passed that would end the state’s band on self-service fueling.
Last Wednesday, Oregon lawmakers voted to end a ban on self-service fueling that’s been around since 1951. House Bill 2426, as it’s called, passed the House back in March with a 47-10 vote, and just passed the Senate with a vote of 16-9.
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The state had previously legalized self-service at night in select counties back in 2015, and further expanded that ruling to all rural counties in 2017, but this new bill applies to all gas stations across the board.
In the name of job security, there will still be a handful of pump attendants required at each gas station, it’s just that motorists will now have the option to pump their gas themselves. Attendants are required to occupy at least half the pumps at any given gas station, while the others can be used for self-service fueling. It’s also worth noting that because of this setup, gas prices won’t be affected (for better or worse), even if you decide to pump your own.
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As reported by Oregon Live, many companies have been in favor of the recent bill, claiming it’s too hard to find enough employees to staff pumps. The news outlet cited one organization in particular, The Northwest Grocery Association, who argued that the new bill wouldn’t have an impact on jobs because employees are already so scarce at most gas stations that they don’t have more than half the pumps open anyway.
The bill will now go to Oregon governor Tina Kotek, and will become effective immediately assuming it gets signed. Should that be the case, it will leave New Jersey as the only state that doesn’t allow drivers to pump their own gas.