By SDCN Editor
Sacramento, CA–Republican Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones (R-San Diego) is taking action to repeal the 65-cent gas price increase that millions of California drivers are experiencing at the pumps.
On the first day of the new legislative session, Jones introduced Senate Bill 2 to repeal the recent Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) regulation passed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The regulation is expected to increase gas prices by 65 cents per gallon. The Senate Republican Caucus co-authored the bill.
Jones says the bill will save Californians from an impending 65 to 85-cents per gallon increase at the pump.
“Californians already pay the highest gas prices in the nation, and Gavin Newsom’s political agenda is about to make them even higher,” said Leader Jones. “Our Day 1 priority is protecting Californians at the pump. SB-2 will immediately repeal the Newsom Administration’s 65-cent gas price hike and put an end to their most recent price gouging scheme.”
According to the SB-2 fact sheet, CARB adopted on November 8 updates to its LCFS regulations that significantly impact California’s oil and gas industry. These updates are set to dramatically increase operating costs for companies producing gasoline in the state as well as importers of oil and gas and all other ancillary businesses in the gasoline supply chain. With these costs assuredly passed on to consumers, the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania estimates that the sale price for California gasoline will increase by 65 to 85 cents per gallon. Multiple legislative requests for cost estimates were submitted to CARB before the November 8 vote on the issue, however, the agency released no final estimate of cost impacts, so independent economic analyses remain the only available estimates.
Jones states the bill would restore the LCFS regulatory program to its status before the November 8 CARB vote and void entirely the updates enacted by the agency. It protects the integrity of the previously existing LCFS program and its revenue streams while alleviating the consequences of the recent haphazard and opaque regulatory updates and the potentially devastating economic impacts the updates will have on California consumers.
The SB-2 does not eliminate the LCFS program and affect CARB’s clean air initiatives, it simply cancels the LCFS updates enacted on November 8 restoring the program to its previous regulations.
A statewide petition against the gas price hike circulated by members of the Senate Republican Caucus garnered almost 13,000 signatures in one week.
Senate Republicans accused CARB of unanimously passing the costly regulation despite a lack of transparency and public outcry.
“Californians need relief, and on day one we have an immediate opportunity to do so,” said Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Santa Clarita). “This bill is an important way for us to cut costs and make life more affordable for everyone in California.”
“The Air Resources Board’s 65-cent gas price hike is a direct assault on hardworking Californians,” Jones said. “This unelected group of wealthy bureaucrats, handpicked and directed by Governor Newsom, is shamelessly increasing gas prices so Californians are forced into electric vehicles against their will. SB 2 will stop their plan and keep costs stable for Californians.”
Jones recently published an op-ed in The San Diego Union-Tribune exposing Newsom’s plan to raise gas prices and force Californians into electric vehicles.
