Sarah Brown
Governor Tina Kotek signed a “consumer choice fueling bill” (House Bill 2426) into law on Aug. 4 after it passed the state House and Senate with bipartisan support during the 2023 Legislative Session. The new law takes effect immediately.
The bill allows consumers to choose whether to pump their own gas or have a fuel employee do so, but it maintains differences between rural counties (where self-service was already allowed) and non-rural counties (where it was previously prohibited). Linn County is considered a non-rural county.
In non-rural counties, gas stations must offer attended service, but may also choose to offer self-serve gas at no more than half of their pumps during operating hours. If offering a self-serve option, gas stations must provide signage so customers can identify which pumps allow self-service and which are attended.
In rural counties, gas stations will be allowed to offer self-serve gas at all hours.
Gas stations are required to charge the same price for self-service and attended service, and all gas stations remain subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Oregon law, which require equal access to fuel for people with disabilities. This means that any gas station with an attendant or other employee on duty must provide refueling assistance to customers with disabilities. Drivers who need help should notify someone at the gas station to receive assistance.
Ann Dodson, manager at the Chevron gas station in Sweet Home, said they immediately opened two pumps for self service. Customers, in fact, have already asked how to pump their own gas because, according to Dodson, they want to know how to do it in case they travel out of state where there is no fuel attendant.
Benefits to pumping one’s own gas include less wait times and more control over their car, she said.
“I don’t want other people to touch my car because I’ve had a gas attendant hit the side of my car and chip the paint off the whole side above my gas door,” Dodson said.