Missouri Curtailing Diesel Fuel Inspections

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri is curtailing inspections aimed at people who may illegally use farm diesel fuel in their over-the-road vehicles.

In response to concerns from lawmakers, acting Revenue Department Director John Mollenkamp said Wednesday that his agency would stop proactively looking for violations of the diesel fuel law and only respond to requests from law enforcement officials.

Missouri imposes a 17-cent tax on diesel fuel. But that tax is not charged on diesel used only for farming purposes. To distinguish between the two uses, farm diesel fuel is mixed with a dye.

The Revenue Department had been doing random inspections to see whether dyed fuel was being used in vehicles driven on highways.

Republican Sen. Mike Parson, a former Polk County sheriff, has called the program an unreasonable search of private property.