SACRAMENTO, Calif — The California State Assembly is set to engage in a special session to address gas price spikes.
“We must stop oil companies from raking-in record profits at the expense of Californians," said Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas). "During this important special session, the Assembly will convene public hearings that thoroughly vet proposals. We’ll hear from experts and ensure that the public has a voice in the process. I’m committed to delivering solutions that rein-in soaring gas costs and provide real savings at the pump."
The special session follows Governor Gavin Newsom's call for a special session over the weekend. The bill, authored by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and Assemblymember Gregg Hart, would generally require oil refiners to have a minimum inventory of refined fuel through the distribution chain to avoid supply shortages.
The California Energy Commission would also require them to have a plan for supply during scheduled refiner maintenance.
“When gas prices spike because of supply constraints, everyday Californians suffer and the oil industry profits. This legislation will protect California consumers by ensuring refineries maintain a stable fuel supply,” said Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara). “This bill is a common-sense solution. By requiring oil companies to better plan for refinery shutdowns, we can save Californians a lot of money from reduced gas prices.”
However, there isn't approval across party lines for the proposal.
“After six years of Newsom’s failed leadership, Californians’ gas prices have soared by $1.33/gallon and are still some of the highest in the country. This stunt from the governor will only make things worse. When we come back for this special session, Assembly Republicans will be ready with smart proposals to increase our energy supplies and bring costs down,” said Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City).
Assemblymember Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin) called on Democrats to reject the proposal, saying that Newson's own energy experts warned about potential impacts from the proposal.
“Newsom’s sham special session proposal will do absolutely nothing to address California’s outrageous gas prices and will likely drive costs even higher. I hope the majority party will support a transparent process that allows for bills from both sides of the aisle, instead of blindly doing the Governor’s bidding,” Patterson said.
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