Calif. governor, Assembly unveil gas price measure for special session

By Alex Nieves | 09/04/2024 12:50 PM EDT

The bill mirrors a proposal introduced in the state Senate last week that died after the Assembly refused to vote without committee hearings.

An aerial image shows storage tanks at the Chevron Products Company El Segundo Refinery.

The legislation would give California regulators authority to require more gasoline reserves at refineries and notices when refineries close for maintenance. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

The California Assembly introduced legislation Tuesday to shield the state against gasoline price spikes ahead of the body reconvening for a special session.

The bill from Democratic Assemblymembers Gregg Hart and Cecilia Aguiar-Curry is largely similar to the proposal originally introduced by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration last week through S.B. 950, a gut-and-amend from state Sen. Nancy Skinner (D) and Hart.

Newsom in a statement commended the Assembly and didn’t mention the Senate, which hasn’t committed to participating in a special session.

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“I’m glad to see the Assembly is moving this important proposal forward to save Californians hundreds of millions of dollars at the pump,” he said. “Gas price spikes are profit spikes for Big Oil, and California won’t stand by as families get gouged.”

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