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HB2955 • 2026

gasoline formulations; air quality

HB2955 - gasoline formulations; air quality

Agriculture Budget Energy Technology
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Julie Willoughby
Last action
2026-04-07
Official status
Senate minority caucus
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide details on whether or how the waiver can be resubmitted after the initial period.

Gasoline Formulations for Air Quality

This bill requires Arizona's environmental agency and weights and measures division to collaborate on submitting an emergency fuel formulation waiver request to the EPA if supply issues with gasoline or crude oil are identified by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Director of ADEQ and the Associate Director of Weights and Measures Services Division to collaborate on submitting an emergency fuel formulation waiver request to the EPA between March 1 and October 31 each year if supply issues with gasoline or crude oil are identified by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
  • Specifies that the emergency fuel waiver must apply equally to all suppliers and blenders, not just specific ones.
  • Requires the waiver to cover all areas of Arizona during the specified period.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Director of ADEQ and the Associate Director of Weights and Measures Services Division
  • Gasoline suppliers and blenders in Arizona

Terms To Know

Emergency fuel formulation waiver
A temporary permission from the EPA to use a different gasoline formula than what is normally required by federal air quality standards.
EPA
The United States Environmental Protection Agency, which sets and enforces environmental regulations.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It does not specify the exact conditions under which supply issues would trigger a waiver request.
  • There is no fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Plain English: Fifty-seventh Legislature Appropriations, Transportation and Technology Second Regular Session H.B.

  • Fifty-seventh Legislature Appropriations, Transportation and Technology Second Regular Session H.B.
  • 2955 COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, TRANSPORTATION AND TECHNOLOGY SENATE AMENDMENTS TO H.B.
  • 2955 (Reference to House engrossed bill) Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert: 1 "Section 1.
  • Title 3, chapter 19, article 6, Arizona Revised 2 Statutes, is amended by adding section 3-3499, to read: 3 3-3499.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Plain English: Fifty-seventh Legislature Appropriations, Transportation and Technology Second Regular Session H.B.

  • Fifty-seventh Legislature Appropriations, Transportation and Technology Second Regular Session H.B.
  • 2955 PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENTS TO H.B.
  • 2955 (Reference to House engrossed bill) Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert: 1 "Section 1.
  • Title 3, chapter 19, article 6, Arizona Revised 2 Statutes, is amended by adding section 3-3499, to read: 3 3-3499.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Plain English: Fifty-seventh Legislature Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency Second Regular Session H.B.

  • Fifty-seventh Legislature Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency Second Regular Session H.B.
  • 2955 PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENTS TO H.B.
  • 2955 (Reference to House engrossed bill) The bill as proposed to be amended is reprinted as follows: 1 <<Section 1.
  • Section 3-3433, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended 2 to read: 3 3-3433.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-07 Senate

    Senate minority caucus

  2. 2026-04-07 Senate

    Senate majority caucus

  3. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Senate second read

  4. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Senate Rules: PFC

  5. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology: DPA/SE

  6. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Senate Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency: W/D

  7. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Senate Natural Resources: W/D

  8. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Senate first read

  9. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Transmitted to Senate

  10. 2026-02-26 House

    House third read passed

  11. 2026-02-24 House

    House committee of the whole

  12. 2026-02-10 House

    House minority caucus

  13. 2026-02-10 House

    House majority caucus

  14. 2026-02-09 House

    House consent calendar

  15. 2026-02-02 House

    House second read

  16. 2026-01-29 House

    House Rules: C&P

  17. 2026-01-29 House

    House Natural Resources, Energy & Water: DP

  18. 2026-01-29 House

    House first read

Official Summary Text

HB2955 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

A
RIZONA
S
TATE
S
ENATE

RESEARCH
STAFF

SAWYER BESSLER

LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH ANALYST

NATURAL RESOURCES
COMMITTEE

Telephone: (602) 926-3171

TO:����������������� MEMBERS
OF THE SENATE

�����������������������
APPROPRIATIONS, TRANSPORTATION & TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

DATE:����������� March
27, 2026

SUBJECT:�����
Strike
everything amendment to
H.B. 2955
, relating to fuel formula

Purpose

Requires the
Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and the
Associate Director of the Weights and Measures Services Division of the Arizona
Department of Agriculture (Associate Director), notwithstanding the state
implementation plan and if the U.S. Energy Information Administration's short-term
energy outlook identifies supply issues for gasoline or crude oil, to
collaborate to submit an emergency fuel formulation waiver to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the period between March 1 and
October 31 of each year. Outlines requirements for the emergency fuel waiver
request.

Background

Fuel sold in Arizona must meet minimum standards prescribed by statute
and by Arizona Department of Agriculture Weights and Measures Division rule.
All gasoline produced and shipped to or within Arizona and all gasoline sold or
offered for sale for use in motor vehicles in a county with a population of
1,200,000 or more persons and any portion of a county contained in Area A (Area
A) or the portion of Pinal County that is west of range 11 east, excluding the
portion within Area A (Area C), must comply with one of two outlined fuel
reformulation options, subject to a waiver by the EPA to comply with the
federal Clean Air Act. All gasoline in Area A or Area C must also meet the
statutory maximum vapor pressure requirements, which vary based on the time of
year (A.R.S. ��
3-3401
;

3-3433
;
and
3-3493
).

Any registered supplier or oxygenate blender may petition the Associate
Director for a waiver for all registered suppliers or oxygenate blenders from
compliance with statutorily prescribed standards for the sale of gasoline in
Area A if the petitioner can demonstrate that ethanol supply shortages are
imminent or the statutorily prescribed standards for fuel reformulation in Area
C from April 1 through September 30 of each year if the petitioner demonstrates
that a shortage in the supply of gasoline meeting the prescribed standards for
fuel reformulation in Area C is imminent (A.R.S. ��
3-3493

and
3-3494
).

The reformulated
gasoline program was mandated by the U.S. Congress in the 1990 Clean Air Act
Amendments. The federal Clean Air Act intended that reformulated gasoline would
be blended to burn more cleanly than conventional gasoline and would reduce
emissions of

smog-forming and toxic pollutants. Reformulated gasoline is required in cities
with high smog levels and is optional elsewhere. Reformulated gasoline is
currently used in 17 states and the District of Columbia. About 25 percent of
gasoline sold in the United States is reformulated (
EPA
).

There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.

Provisions

1.

Requires the Director of ADEQ and the Associate Director,
notwithstanding the state implementation plan and if the U.S. Energy
Information Administration's short-term energy outlook identifies supply issues
for gasoline or crude oil, to collaborate to submit an emergency fuel
formulation waiver to the EPA for the period between March 1 and October 31 of
each year.

2.

Requires
the outlined emergency fuel formulation waiver request to:

a)

be equally applicable to all registered suppliers or oxygenate blenders;

b)

not selectively apply to any specific registered supplier or oxygenate
blender;

c)

apply to all areas of Arizona; and

d)

be
resubmitted at the end of each waiver period if the conditions meriting the
emergency fuel formulation waiver continue.

3.

Contains a statement of legislative findings.

4.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB2955 - 572R - H Ver

House Engrossed

gasoline
formulations; air quality

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 2955

AN
ACT

amending Section
3-3493, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by Laws 2016, chapter 232, section
27; amending Section 3-3493, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by Laws 2017,
chapter 295, section 2; amending section 3-3494, Arizona Revised
Statutes; relating to motor fuel.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 3-3493, Arizona Revised
Statutes, as amended by Laws 2016, chapter 232, section 27, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
3-3493.

Area A; fuel reformulation; rules

A. All gasoline produced and shipped
to or within this state and sold or offered for sale for use in motor vehicles
in a county with a population of one million two hundred thousand or more
persons and any portion of a county contained in area A, subject to an
appropriate waiver granted by the administrator of the United States
environmental protection agency pursuant to section 211(c)(4) of the clean air
act as defined in section 49-401.01, shall comply with either of the
following fuel reformulation options:

1. A gasoline that meets standards for
federal phase II reformulated gasoline, as provided in 40 Code of Federal
Regulations section 80.41, paragraphs (e) through (h), in effect on January 1,
1999, except that the minimum oxygen content standard does not apply.� The
gasoline shall also meet the maximum vapor pressure requirements in section 3-3433,
subsections D and F.

2. California phase 2 reformulated
gasoline, including alternative formulations allowed by the predictive model,
as adopted by the California air resources board pursuant to California Code of
Regulations title 13, sections 2261 through 2262.7 and 2265, in effect on
January 1, 1997, except that the minimum oxygen content standard does not
apply.� The gasoline shall also meet the maximum vapor pressure requirements in
section 3-3433, subsections D and F.

A. For the period beginning from and
after March 31 through October 31 of each year, all gasoline produced and
shipped to or within this state and sold or offered for sale for use in motor
vehicles in a county with a population of one million two hundred thousand or
more persons and any portion of a county contained in area A, subject to an
appropriate waiver granted by the administrator of the United States
environmental protection agency pursuant to section 211(
c
)(4)
of the clean air act as defined in section 49-401.01, shall comply with
standards for ASTM D4814 and shall meet the maximum vapor pressure requirements
in section 3-3433, subsections D and F.

B. For the period beginning November 1 through March
31 of each year, all gasoline produced and shipped to or within this state and
sold or offered for sale for use in motor vehicles in a county with a
population of one million two hundred thousand or more persons and any portion
of a county contained in area A, subject to an appropriate waiver granted by
the administrator of the United States environmental protection agency pursuant
to section 211(c)(4) of the clean air act as defined in section 49-401.01,
shall comply with standards for California phase 2 reformulated gasoline,
including alternative formulations allowed by the predictive model, as adopted
by the California air resources board pursuant to California Code of
Regulations title 13, sections 2261 through 2262.7 and 2265, in effect on
January 1, 1997 and shall meet the maximum vapor pressure requirements in
section 3-3433, subsections D and F. The fuel described in
this subsection shall meet the requirements of section 3-3492, subsection
A
, paragraph 1
.

C. Any registered supplier or oxygenate blender, as
defined in division rules, may petition the associate director to request that
all registered suppliers or oxygenate blenders be allowed to comply with
standards other than the standards prescribed by
this section or

section 3-3492, subsection A if the petitioner can demonstrate
that
the petitioner's ability to supply
ethanol
supply shortages are

or gasoline meeting the
specifications of subsection A or B of this section is in
imminent
danger and may result in supply shortages of ethanol and gasoline in
area A
.

D. The petition shall:

1. Identify specific supply conditions
that will result in a shortage of ethanol.

1. for oxygenate shortages:

2.
(
a
)
Identify which oxygenate or oxygenates and the
concentration that will be blended into gasoline
by the
petitioner
for sale or use in area A.

3.

(
b
)
Demonstrate that the alternative oxygenate blend
comes closest to meeting a three and one-half percent by weight oxygen
content
at reasonable cost
, unless the registered supplier
or oxygenate blender is petitioning to use a gasoline-ethanol blend containing
less than ten percent by volume of ethanol.

2. For gasoline shortages, identify
the formulation of gasoline that the petitioner will sell in lieu of gasoline
meeting the standards in subsection A or B of this section.

4.

3.
Specify
a
projected
time period for compliance with any provision
of
this section and
section 3-3492, subsection A,
not to exceed sixty days.

E. The associate director shall either grant or deny
the petition in writing within seven days of its receipt. Any
decision by the associate director to grant the petition shall be equally
applicable to all registered suppliers or oxygenate blenders and shall not be
selectively applied to any single registered supplier or oxygenate
blender. The petition may be granted only if the associate director
verifies that the basis for requesting the petition is factual.

F. The associate director may reauthorize a petition
if the petitioner can demonstrate that the conditions have
continued. The reauthorization of a petition shall not exceed thirty
days.

G. The associate director of the division shall
consult with the director of the department of environmental quality before
granting, reauthorizing or denying any such petition.

H. The
associate
director
,

of environmental quality
in consultation
with the
associate
director of the
division

department of environmental quality,
shall adopt by rule:

1. Requirements to implement subsections A, B, C and
D of this section.

2. Requirements for recordkeeping, reporting and
analytical methods for fuel providers to demonstrate compliance with
subsections A, B, C and D of this section.

I. This section does not apply to fuel sold for use
at a motor vehicle manufacturer proving ground or at a motor vehicle racing
event.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Section 3-3493, Arizona Revised
Statutes, as amended by Laws 2017, chapter 295, section 2, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
3-3493.

Area A; fuel reformulation; rules

A. All gasoline produced and shipped
to or within this state and sold or offered for sale for use in motor vehicles
in a county with a population of one million two hundred thousand or more
persons and any portion of a county contained in area A, subject to an
appropriate waiver granted by the administrator of the United States
environmental protection agency pursuant to section 211(c)(4) of the clean air
act as defined in section 49-401.01, shall comply with either of the
following fuel reformulation options:

1. A gasoline that meets standards for
federal phase II reformulated gasoline, as provided in 40 Code of Federal
Regulations section 80.41, paragraphs (e) through (h), in effect on January 1,
1999, except that the minimum oxygen content standard does not
apply. The gasoline shall also meet the maximum vapor pressure
requirements in section 3-3433, subsections D and F.

2. California phase 2 reformulated
gasoline, including alternative formulations allowed by the predictive model,
as adopted by the California air resources board pursuant to California Code of
Regulations title 13, sections 2261 through 2262.7 and 2265, in effect on
January 1, 1997, except that the minimum oxygen content standard does not
apply. The gasoline shall also meet the maximum vapor pressure
requirements in section 3-3433, subsections D and F.

A. For the period beginning from and
after March 31 through October 31 of each year, all gasoline produced and
shipped to or within this state and sold or offered for sale for use in motor
vehicles in a county with a population of one million two hundred thousand or
more persons and any portion of a county contained in area A, subject to an
appropriate waiver granted by the administrator of the United States
environmental protection agency pursuant to section 211(
c
)(4)
of the clean air act as defined in section 49-401.01, shall comply with
standards for ASTM D4814 and shall meet the maximum vapor pressure requirements
in section 3-3433, subsections D and F.

B. For the period beginning November 1 through March
31 of each year, all gasoline produced and shipped to or within this state and
sold or offered for sale for use in motor vehicles in a county with a
population of one million two hundred thousand or more persons and any portion
of a county contained in area A, subject to an appropriate waiver granted by
the administrator of the United States environmental protection agency pursuant
to section 211(c)(4) of the clean air act as defined in section 49-401.01,
shall comply with standards for California phase 2 reformulated gasoline,
including alternative formulations allowed by the predictive model, as adopted
by the California air resources board pursuant to California Code of
Regulations title 13, sections 2261 through 2262.7 and 2265, in effect on
January 1, 1997 and shall meet the maximum vapor pressure requirements in
section 3-3433, subsections D and F. The fuel described in
this subsection shall meet the requirements of section 3-3492, subsection
A
, paragraph 1 or 2
.

C. Any registered supplier or oxygenate blender, as
defined in division rules, may petition the associate director to request that
all registered suppliers or oxygenate blenders be allowed to comply with
standards other than the standards prescribed by
this section or

section 3-3492, subsection A if the petitioner can
demonstrate that
the petitioner's ability to supply
ethanol

supply shortages are

or gasoline meeting
the specifications of subsection A or B of this section is in
imminent
danger and may result in supply shortages of ethanol and gasoline in
area A
.

D. The petition shall:

1. Identify specific supply conditions
that will result in a shortage of ethanol.

1. for oxygenate shortages:

2.
(
a
)
Identify which oxygenate or oxygenates and the
concentration that will be blended into gasoline
by the
petitioner
for sale or use in area A.

3.
(
b
)
Demonstrate that the alternative oxygenate blend
comes closest to meeting a three and one-half percent by weight oxygen
content
at reasonable cost
, unless the registered supplier
or oxygenate blender is petitioning to use a gasoline-ethanol blend containing
less than ten percent by volume of ethanol.

2. For gasoline shortages, identify
the formulation of gasoline that the petitioner will sell in lieu of gasoline
meeting the standards in subsection A or B of this section.

4.

3.
Specify
a
projected
time period for compliance with any provision
of
this section or
section 3-3492, subsection A,
not to exceed sixty days.

E. The associate director shall either grant or deny
the petition in writing within seven days of its receipt. Any
decision by the associate director to grant the petition shall be equally
applicable to all registered suppliers or oxygenate blenders and shall not be
selectively applied to any single registered supplier or oxygenate
blender. The petition may be granted only if the associate director
verifies that the basis for requesting the petition is factual.

F. The associate director may reauthorize a petition
if the petitioner can demonstrate that the conditions have
continued. The reauthorization of a petition shall not exceed thirty
days.

G. The associate director of the division shall
consult with the director of the department of environmental quality before
granting, reauthorizing or denying any such petition.

H. The
associate
director
,

of environmental quality
in consultation
with the
associate
director of the
division

department of environmental quality,
shall adopt by rule:

1. Requirements to implement subsections A, B, C and
D of this section.

2. Requirements for recordkeeping, reporting and
analytical methods for fuel providers to demonstrate compliance with
subsections A, B, C and D of this section.

I. This section does not apply to fuel sold for use
at a motor vehicle manufacturer proving ground or at a motor vehicle racing
event.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 3. Section 3-3494, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
3-3494.

Area C; fuel reformulation; rules

A. From and after May 31 through
September 30 of each year, all gasoline produced and shipped to or within this
state and sold or offered for sale for use in motor vehicles in area C shall
comply with either of the following fuel reformulation options:

1. A gasoline that meets standards for
federal phase II reformulated gasoline, as provided in 40 Code of Federal
Regulations section 80.41, paragraphs (e) through (h), in effect on January 1,
1999, except that the minimum oxygen content standard does not
apply. The gasoline shall also meet the maximum vapor pressure
requirements in section 3-3434, subsection D.

2. California phase 2 reformulated
gasoline, including alternative formulations allowed by the predictive model,
as adopted by the California air resources board pursuant to California Code of
Regulations title 13, sections 2261 through 2262.7 and 2265, in effect on
January 1, 1997, except that the minimum oxygen content standard does not
apply. The gasoline shall also meet the maximum vapor pressure
requirements in section 3-3434, subsection D.

a. For the period beginning from and
after March 31 through October 31 of each year, all gasoline produced and
shipped to or within this state and sold or offered for sale for use in motor
vehicles in area C, subject to an appropriate waiver granted by the
administrator of the United States environmental protection agency pursuant to
section 211(
c
)(4) of the clean air act as defined in
section 49-401.01, shall comply with standards for ASTM D4814 and shall meet
the maximum vapor pressure requirements in section 3-3433, subsection D.

B. Any registered supplier or oxygenate blender, as
defined in division rules, may petition the associate director to request that
all registered suppliers or oxygenate blenders be allowed to supply gasoline in
area C that does not meet the standards in subsection A of this section if the
petitioner demonstrates that
a shortage in
the
petitioner's ability to
supply
of
gasoline
meeting the standards in subsection A of this section is
in
imminent

danger and may result in supply shortages of gasoline in
area C
.

C. A petition under subsection B of this section
shall:

1. Identify specific supply conditions
that will result in a shortage of gasoline meeting the standards in subsection
A of this section.

2.

1.
Identify
the formulation of gasoline that
the petitioner
will
be sold

sell
in area C in lieu of gasoline
meeting the standards in subsection A of this section.

3.

2.
Specify
a
projected
time period for compliance with the standards
of subsection A of this section not to exceed sixty days.

D. The associate director shall either grant or deny
a petition under subsection B of this section in writing within seven days of
its receipt. Any decision by the associate director to grant the
petition shall be equally applicable to all registered suppliers or oxygenate
blenders and shall not be selectively applied to any single registered supplier
or oxygenate blender.� The petition may be granted only if the associate
director verifies that the basis for requesting the petition is factual.

E. The associate director may reauthorize a petition
granted under subsection B of this section if the petitioner demonstrates that
the conditions identified in the petition have continued.� The reauthorization
of a petition shall not exceed thirty days.

F. The associate director of the division shall
consult with the director of the department of environmental quality before
granting, reauthorizing or denying any petition under subsection B of this
section.

G. The associate director, in consultation with the
director of the department of environmental quality, shall adopt by rule:

1. Requirements to implement subsections A, B and C
of this section.

2. Requirements for recordkeeping, reporting and
analytical methods for fuel providers to demonstrate compliance with subsection
A of this section.

H. This section does not apply to fuel sold for use
at a motor vehicle manufacturer proving ground or at a motor vehicle racing
event.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 4.
Conditional enactment;
notice

A. Section
3-3493, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by Laws 2016, chapter 232,
section 27 and this act, and section 3-3494, Arizona Revised Statutes, as
amended by this act, do not become effective unless on or before July 1, 2030
the United States environmental protection agency approves the proposed
modifications to the gasoline fuel formulation requirements as part of the
state implementation plan for air quality.

B. Section 3-3493,
Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by Laws 2017, chapter 295, section 2 and
this act, does not become effective unless the condition prescribed by Laws
2017, chapter 295, section 3, as amended by Laws 2022, chapter 177, section 12
and Laws 2024, chapter 70, section 1, is met and on or before July 1, 2030 the
United States environmental protection agency approves the proposed
modifications to the gasoline fuel formulation requirements as part of the
state implementation plan for air quality.

C. The director of the
department of environmental quality shall notify in writing the director of the
Arizona legislative council on or before October 1, 2030 either:

1. Of the date on which the
condition prescribed by subsection A or B of this section was met.

2. That neither condition
was met.