California Attorney General Rob Bonta sues Trump administration over propane cylinder law preemption

California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit on October 29, 2026, challenging a decision by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration that federal law preempts California Senate Bill 1280. Authored by Senator John Laird, SB 1280 bans the sale of single-use, non-refillable propane cylinders starting January 1, 2028. State officials argue the law protects workers and taxpayers from waste fire risks, while federal regulators sided with manufacturer Worthington Enterprises.

California lawsuit challenging the federal preemption

• ▪On October 29, 2026, California Attorney General Rob Bonta petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to vacate the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's preemption determination invalidating California Senate Bill 1280 as federal overreach.
• ▪California Attorney General Rob Bonta contends that federal Hazardous Materials Regulations authorize refillable propane cylinders and therefore do not preempt California Senate Bill 1280.

Federal preemption process and determination

• ▪The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration published a public notice regarding an application challenging California Senate Bill 1280
• ▪On September 10, 2026, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration ruled California Senate Bill 1280 preempted because its requirements are not substantively the same as federal cylinder design standards.
• ▪California Attorney General Rob Bonta submitted a comment letter opposing Worthington Enterprises, Inc.'s preemption request to defend California Senate Bill 1280.
• ▪Worthington Enterprises, Inc., an Ohio-based manufacturer of disposable propane cylinders, requested that federal authorities determine Hazardous Materials Transportation Act preempts California Senate Bill 1280.

California Senate Bill 1280 and environmental hazards

• ▪California Senate Bill 1280, authored by State Senator John Laird, prohibits the sale of single-use, one-pound, non-reusable, and non-fillable propane cylinders in California beginning January 1, 2028.
• ▪Single-use propane cylinders containing residual gas create explosion and fire hazards when crushed in waste hauling trucks, landfills, or recycling facilities.
• ▪An estimated 3 million out of 4 million single-use propane cylinders sold annually in California are improperly disposed of in municipal waste streams.