Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Odom backs off from power push to regulate gas prices

Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom may quit fighting to bolster gasoline prices and punish retailers who refuse to mark up fuel prices the required 6 percent.

After the Senate Agriculture Committee voted April 6 to strip Odom of the authority to regulate gasoline prices, Odom

No opinion had been requested as of Thursday, according to Foti's office. The commissioner has decided to let the Legislature do with the 6 percent what they will, said Department of Agriculture and Forestry spokesman Larry Michaud. He has no problems if they want to change the law. All he was ever doing is following the law as established by the Legislature.

The controversy began last July when Odom announced plans to enforce a law requiring a minimum markup on the price of gasoline. Odom threatened to shut down retailers violating the law based on the 1940 Unfair Sales Act, which requires retailers to sell products for at least 6 percent more than they paid for them.