California gas price bill on track, despite oil industry objections

A bill pushed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to curb gas price spikes is likely to get one step closer to his desk today.

After clearing two state Senate committees this week, the measure to require oil refineries to keep a minimum supply of fuel is up for a floor vote. Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire of Santa Rosa, who begrudgingly agreed to consider the bill during this special session called by Newsom, has assured that his caucus has the votes to pass it, since the Senate was poised to adopt it during the regular session in August.

But Assembly Bill X2-1 is not without its critics. It passed the Assembly on a 44-17 vote (just three more “ayes” than required), with a few moderate Democrats joining Republicans in voting “no,” and many others not voting. Though some experts say that the proposal could work, Republicans and oil companies warn that it could drive up pump prices instead.

Senate GOP leader Brian Jones of San Diego, in a statement: “It could well become known as the ‘California Democrat legislators’ planned gasoline shortage disaster.”

Chevron, which has two massive oil refineries in California, said the bill’s supporters are making “inaccurate and flawed” arguments. In a letter to lawmakers first reported by KCRA, the oil company pushed back against claims by the California Energy Commission’s watchdog group that “price spikes are profit spikes,” that refiners do not adequately prepare for maintenance shutdowns and that the industry is engaging in price gouging. Some union leaders backed up Chevron.

In the Senate, the bill has been changed to require that the energy commission’s watchdog group — created after Newsom called another special session on oil profits in 2022 — include a labor representative with “experience in refinery operations.”

If the bill passes the Senate today, the Assembly plans to convene Monday to decide whether to give final approval. 

But even if the bill becomes law, gas prices could still rise soon for another reason:

The California Air Resources Board — appointed by the governor — is expected to vote next month on proposed updates to the state’s low-carbon fuel standards that could increase gas prices by 47 cents a gallon, reports the Los Angeles Times. (The average pump price as of Thursday in California was $4.67 a gallon for regular unleaded, $1.46 more than the national average.)

But recently the board said that its 2023 estimate was incomplete, though it hasn’t provided an updated number. That lack of transparency is frustrating legislators of both parties, according to the Times.

No big shock, but Vice President (and Californian) Kamala Harris is leading former President Donald Trump handily in the latest poll — 57% to 35% among likely voters in California, according to the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. 

What may be more surprising and noteworthy is her edge among Latino voters — 54% to 35%. That’s down significantly from the 75% to 23% margin racked up by President Joe Biden over Trump among California Latinos in 2020, according to exit polls.

That drop in Latino support points to some movement toward the GOP in recent voter registration numbers in California — and to a national trend that is worrying Democrats. Latino voters could prove decisive in some presidential swing states, especially Arizona and Nevada. (Harris taped a town hall with Univision in Las Vegas Thursday, while Trump plans a rally in Reno today before returning to California for an event in Coachella on Saturday.)

In his U.S. Senate bid, Steve Garvey is also reaching out to Latino voters as his best hope of breaking the 18-year drought of Republicans winning a statewide race in California. While Latinos make up the biggest ethnic group in majority-minority California, they are the least likely to vote.

The latest test scores for California’s K-12 students offer a glimmer of hope of recovery from learning losses during the COVID-19 shutdowns.

As CalMatters K-12 education reporter Carolyn Jones explains, 47% of students met or exceeded the English language arts standards last year, up from 46.7% the year prior. In math, 35.5% met or exceeded the standard, up from 34.6%, according to the results released Thursday. 

And while Black, Latino and low-income students still had lower scores overall, their gains exceeded the state average in most categories.

Linda Darling-Hammond, president of the State Board of Education: “California’s public schools are making encouraging gains, and these gains are largest for our most vulnerable groups of students.”

But the latest scores still remain below what they were before the pandemic, with both English language arts and math scores hitting 4 percentage points below 2018-19 levels.

The test is given each year to third-, eighth- and 11th-grade students, and measures critical thinking, writing ability and problem-solving skills. 

Learn more about the Smarter Balanced test scores in Carolyn’s story.

After last year’s “hot labor summer,” union activism isn’t over. On Thursday, one union announced a strike, and a second declared a strike vote:

Kaiser Permanente mental health workers: With their contract expired on Sept. 30, about 2,400 Kaiser psychologists, social workers, therapists and others in Southern California are preparing to go on strike starting Oct. 21, writes CalMatters health reporter Jocelyn Wiener. The National Union of Healthcare Workers says it is fighting for more pay, the restoration of pensions and more time to complete patient care duties. Kaiser said the threat of the strike “creates unnecessary concern for our members.” The planned walkout comes roughly a year after 68,000 California Kaiser workers took part in what was considered the largest health care worker strike in U.S. history, and after Kaiser agreed to pay a $200 million settlement with California to fix issues with its behavioral health services. Read more about the standoff.

University of California workers: The union representing 37,000 service and patient care workers said it will hold a vote Oct. 28-30 whether to go on strike. The labor agreement for patient care workers expired on July 31, and the one for service workers is set to expire Oct. 31. AFSCME Local 3299 has accused the UC for negotiating in “bad faith” and “coming to bargaining sessions unprepared and without authority to negotiate.” The UC has denied this and said it hopes a “mutually beneficial contract agreement can be achieved soon.”