SALEM, OR -- Driving in rural parts of Oregon can be a test, especially if you’re low on gas. A bill now in the Senate would allow gas stations in counties with fewer than 40,000 residents to offer self-pay and self-pump facilities when no employees are around. The law could impact Central Oregon drivers, as Jefferson and Crook Counties both have fewer than 25,000 people.
Representative Cliff Bentz (R-Ontario) says the bill just makes sense. "The idea here is that we would have fuel pumps that could be operated with a credit card when no one is around," Bentz says. "This would allow folks to get away from their job and leave fuel for those who might happen by these remote areas."
Oregon is one of two states that doesn't allow people to pump their own gas. HB 3011 passed unanimously in the House and is now in the Senate.
