§ 142.917 RSMo — Diverted shipment or incorrect information on shipping paper, relief, rulemaking authority

1. The director shall promulgate rules and regulations for relief in a case where a shipment of motor fuel is legitimately diverted from the represented destination state after the shipping paper has been issued by the terminal operator or where the terminal operator failed to cause proper information to be printed on the shipping paper.

2. The relief rules and regulations shall include a provision requiring that the shipper, the transporter, or an agent of either provide notification before the diversion or correction to the director if an intended diversion or correction is to occur, that a verification number be assigned and manually added to the face of the terminal-issued shipping paper, and the relief provision shall be consistent with the refund provisions of this chapter, including section 142.845 .

3. The relief provisions shall establish a protest procedure so that any person found to be in violation of section 142.911 and subsection 3 of section 142.914 may establish a defense to any civil penalty imposed under this chapter for violation of such section or sections upon establishing substantial evidence satisfactory to the director that the violation was the result of an honest error made in the context of a good faith and reasonable effort to properly account for and report fuel shipments and taxes.

4. The director shall provide toll-free telephone service for persons to call to report a diversion and obtain a verification number under this section. The director shall make reasonable efforts to coordinate with neighboring states and the Federation of Tax Administrators for the operation of a common telephonic diversion verification number assignment system including the shared cost thereof.