LRB-4392/1
CTS:bjk:rs
2009 - 2010 LEGISLATURE
March 11, 2010 - Introduced by Representatives Sinicki, Benedict, Berceau,
Fields, Mason, Milroy, Pope-Roberts and Zepnick, cosponsored by Senators
Plale, Miller, Risser, Carpenter, Lassa and
Schultz. Referred to Committee
on Consumer Protection.
AB842,1,2
1An Act to create 100.383 of the statutes;
relating to: requiring bittering agents
2in certain engine coolants and antifreeze and providing a penalty.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires that engine coolant or antifreeze that is sold within this state
and that contains more than 10 percent ethylene glycol also contain, as a bittering
agent, denatonium benzoate in a concentration between 30 and 50 parts per million.
Under the bill, a manufacturer of such engine coolant or antifreeze must maintain
a record of the trade name, scientific name, and active ingredients of any bittering
agent used in the engine coolant or antifreeze, and must make the record available
to the public upon request.
The bill exempts a manufacturer, processor, distributor, recycler, or seller of an
engine coolant or antifreeze from liability for any personal injury, death, property
damage, environmental damage, or economic loss caused by the inclusion of
denatonium benzoate in the engine coolant or antifreeze, if the denatonium benzoate
is present in a concentration required in the bill. The provisions of the bill do not
apply to the sale of a motor vehicle that contains engine coolant or antifreeze or to
antifreeze sold in containers with a capacity of 55 gallons or more.
A person who violates the provisions of the bill is subject to up to 90 days
imprisonment, a fine up to $1,500, or both.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB842, s. 1
1Section
1. 100.383 of the statutes is created to read:
AB842,2,5
2100.383 Antifreeze; bittering required.
(1) Any engine coolant or
3antifreeze that is sold within this state and that contains more than 10 percent
4ethylene glycol, shall contain, as a bittering agent, denatonium benzoate in a
5concentration of not less than 30 parts per million nor more than 50 parts per million.
AB842,2,9
6(2) A manufacturer of an engine coolant or antifreeze described in sub. (1) shall
7maintain a record of the trade name, scientific name, and active ingredients of any
8bittering agent used in the engine coolant or antifreeze, and shall make the record
9available to the public upon request.
AB842,2,15
10(3) Notwithstanding s. 100.38, a manufacturer, processor, distributor, recycler,
11or seller of an engine coolant or antifreeze that is described in sub. (1) is not liable
12to any person for any personal injury, death, property damage, environmental
13damage, or economic loss caused by the inclusion of denatonium benzoate in the
14engine coolant or antifreeze, if the denatonium benzoate is present in a concentration
15required in sub. (1).
AB842,2,18
16(4) This section does not apply to the sale of a motor vehicle that contains
17engine coolant or antifreeze or to antifreeze sold in containers with a capacity of 55
18gallons or more.
AB842,2,20
19(5) A person who violates this section may be imprisoned in the county jail for
20not more than 90 days or fined not more than $1,500 or both.
