The Michigan House has passed legislation that would allow Michigan gas stations to leave their pumps turned on after they close late at night.
That would allow people to buy gas with their credit cards while there’s no worker on duty.
Upper Peninsula state representative Beau LaFave sponsored the bill, saying that there are many rural areas where you have to drive many miles to find a gas station that’s open late at night.
“I’m concerned that a young person, probably one of our teenagers, coming back from a basketball game, if they’re ever allowed to do those again, in the middle of winter, is going to make a mistake and run out of gas,” said LaFave (R-Iron Mountain). “Be stuck at a gas station that’s closed with no cell service, because they couldn’t buy a gallon of gas, and they had money on their credit card.”
LaFave says that 26 other states allow pumps to be used by card-paying customers after hours, but not Michigan.
“Every single one of those gas stations in Wisconsin is open, 24 hours a day, if you’ve got a credit card,” he said. “But not when you get across the river into the Upper Peninsula.”
LaFave, however, doesn’t think that his bill will be signed by the governor.
“My belief is that Governor Whitmer will veto this bill,” LaFave said. “Her fire marshal is opposed, for ridiculous reasons.They wanted us to install what are called canopy supression systems. When you go to a gas station, you’ve got that thing above you that keeps the rain and snow off of you. They wanted us to install sprinklers, not only in the canopy, but also below ground.”
House Bill 4782 has passed both the House and Senate and will be sent to Whitmer’s desk.
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