FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.230
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEO'DONNELL.
1259H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsection386.572,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofonenewsectionrelatingto
penaltiesforviolatingfederallymandatednaturalgassafetystandards,withpenalty
provisions.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Section386.572,RSMo,isrepealedandonenewsectionenactedinlieu
2thereof,tobeknownassection386.572,toreadasfollows:
386.572.1.Nocorporation,person,publicutility,ormunicipalitythatownsanygas
2plantshallviolateanylaworanyorder,decision,decree,rule,direction,demand,or
3requirementofthecommissionoranypartorportionthereofrelatingtofederallymandated
4naturalgassafetystandards.Notwithstandingtheabove,amunicipalitythatownsanygas
5plantshallbesubjecttotheprovisionsofthissectiononlyforviolationsofnaturalgassafety
6laws,rules,ororders.
7 2.Themaximumpenaltiesforviolationsoffederallymandatednaturalgassafety
8standards,orsuchstricternaturalgassafetystandardsorrulesasmaybeapprovedbythe
9commission,shall[notbegreaterthanfifteenthousanddollarsforeachviolationwitha
10maximumpenaltyforacontinuingviolationoramultipleseriesofviolationsofthesame
11standardorruleprovisionnottoexceedonehundredfiftythousanddollars] notexceedan
12amountasdeterminedbytheSecretaryofTransportationoftheUnitedStatesunder49
13CFRPart190.223(a), notwithstandinganyprovisionsofsubsection1ofsection386.570to
14thecontrary.[Themaximumpenaltyforeachviolationshallincreasetotwentythousand
15dollars,effectiveJanuary1,2015,twenty-fivethousanddollars,effectiveJanuary1,2025,
16thirtythousanddollars,effectiveJanuary1,2035,andfortythousanddollars,effective
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 17January1,2040.Themaximumpenaltyforacontinuingviolationoramultipleseriesof
18violationsofthesamestandardorruleprovisionshallincreasetotwohundredthousand
19dollars,effectiveJanuary1,2015,twohundredfiftythousanddollars,effectiveJanuary1,
202025,threehundredthousanddollars,effectiveJanuary1,2035,andfourhundredthousand
21dollars,effectiveJanuary1,2040.] Indeterminingtheamountofthepenalty,thecommission
22shallconsiderthenature,circumstances,andgravityoftheviolation,andalsoshallconsider,
23withrespecttotheentityfoundtohavecommittedtheviolation:
24 (1)Thedegreeofculpability;
25 (2)Anyhistoryofpriorviolations;
26 (3)Theeffectofthepenaltyontheentity'sabilitytocontinueoperation;
27 (4)Anygoodfaitheffortinattemptingtoachievecompliance;
28 (5)Abilitytopaythepenalty;and
29 (6)Suchothermattersasarerelevantinthecase.
30 3.Everyviolationofaspecificnaturalgassafetystandardorrulebyanycorporation,
31person,publicutility,ormunicipalitythatownsanygasplantisaseparateanddistinct
32offense,regardlessofwhethersuchviolationsrelatetothesameincident.Incaseofa
33continuingviolation,eachday'scontinuancethereofshallbeaseparateanddistinctoffense.
34 4.Inconstruingandenforcingtheprovisionsofthissection,theact,omission,or
35failureofanyofficer,agent,oremployeeofanycorporation,person,publicutility,or
36municipalitythatownsanygasplantactingwithinthescopeofofficialdutiesofemployment
37shallineverycasebeconsideredtheact,omission,orfailureofsuchcorporation,person,
38publicutility,ormunicipalitythatownsanygasplant.
âś”
HB230 2