THE ASSEMBLY IS NOW IN THE
SECOND EXTRAORDINARY SESSION.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER NGUYEN NOTICES
THE ABSENCE OF A QUORUM. THE
SERGEANT AT ARMS WILL PREPARE
THE CHAMBER AND BRING IN THE
ABSENT MEMBERS. THE CLERK WILL
CALL THE ROLL. ARTIS
AGUIAR-CURRY. ALANIZ. ALVAREZ
ARAMBULA. BAYNES BAUER-KAHAN.
BENNETT BERMAN. BERNER BONTA.
BRIEN CALDERON. JUAN. CARRILLO
WENDY. CARRILLO. CERVANTES CHEN.
CONNOLLY. DALLEY DAVIES. DIXON
AZALI. FLORA FONG. FRIEDMAN
GABRIEL. GALLAGHER GARCIA.
GIBSON GRAYSON. HANEY HART.
HOLDEN HOOVER. IRWIN JACKSON.
JONES-SAWYER KALRA. LACKEY. LEE
LO. LOWENTHAL MAIENSCHEIN.
MATHIS. MCCARTY MCKENNA.
MURATSUCHI NGUYEN. ORTEGA
PACHECO. PAPIN. JIM PATTERSON,
JO. PATTERSON PELLERIN.
PETRIE-NORRIS QUIRK-SILVA. RAMOS
RENDON. REYES THREE OF US.
RODRIGUEZ RUBIO. SANCHEZ
SANTIAGO. SCHIAVO SORIA. TO
TING. VALENCIA. VÀ VALLAPUDUA.
WALDRON. WALLACE WARD. WEBER.
WICKS WILSON. WOOD. ZUBER. MR.
SPEAKER.
MEMBERS A QUORUM IS PRESENT. WE
ASK OUR GUESTS AND VISITORS IN
THE REAR OF THE CHAMBER AND IN
THE GALLERY TO PLEASE STAND FOR
THE PRAYER AND THE FLAG SALUTE.
THE DAY'S PRAYER WILL BE OFFERED
BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER ARDIS. O GOD,
YOU HAVE BOUND US TOGETHER IN A
COMMON LIFE. HELP US AS WE
STRUGGLE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF
OUR STATE, TO MEET ONE ANOTHER
WITHOUT BITTERNESS, AND TO WORK
TOGETHER WITH MUTUAL FORBEARANCE
AND RESPECT. MAKE IT SO THAT THE
BARRIERS THAT DIVIDE US MAY
CRUMBLE, SUSPICIONS DISAPPEAR,
AND HATREDS CEASE, THAT OUR
DIVISIONS BEING HEALED. WE MAY
LIVE IN JUSTICE AND PEACE IN
YOUR NAME. AMEN. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER. ARDIS. PLEASE
JOIN ASSEMBLY MEMBER CHEN AS HE
LEADS US IN THE FLAG SALUTE.
MEMBERS, PLEASE PUT YOUR RIGHT
HAND OVER YOUR HEART. READY?
BEGIN. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE
FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR
WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION
UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH
LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU. YOU MAY BE SEATED.
READING OF THE PREVIOUS DAY'S
JOURNAL. ASSEMBLY CHAMBERS,
SACRAMENTO. FRIDAY, AUGUST 30TH,
2024. THE ASSEMBLY MET MR.
FLORES SECONDS AT THE READING OF
THE PREVIOUS DAY'S JOURNAL BE
DISPENSED WITH. PRESENTATIONS
AND PETITIONS. THERE ARE NONE.
INTRODUCTION AND REFERENCE OF
BILLS WILL BE DEFERRED. REPORTS
OF COMMITTEES WILL BE DEEMED
READ AND AMENDMENTS DEEMED
ADOPTED. MESSAGES FROM THE
GOVERNOR. THERE ARE NONE.
MESSAGES FROM THE SENATE. THERE
ARE NONE. TO OUR GUESTS AND
VISITORS TODAY, STATE LAW
PROHIBITS PERSONS IN THE GALLERY
FROM INTERFERING WITH
LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS OR
DISRUPTING THE ORDERLY CONDUCT
OF OFFICIAL BUSINESS. PERSONS
DISRUPTING LEGISLATIVE
PROCEEDINGS ARE SUBJECT TO
REMOVAL, ARREST, AND OR OTHER
APPROPRIATE LEGAL REMEDIES.
MOVING TO MOTIONS AND
RESOLUTIONS. THE ABSENCES FOR
THE DAY WILL BE DEEMED READ AND
PRINTED IN THE JOURNAL. MAJORITY
LEADER AGUIAR-CURRY YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR PROCEDURAL
MOTIONS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR.
SPEAKER. I REQUEST UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO SUSPEND ASSEMBLY RULE
45.5 TO ALLOW ASSEMBLY MEMBERS
IRWIN AND LOWENTHAL TO SPEAK ON
ADJOURNMENT AND MEMORY TODAY.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SUCH SHALL BE
THE ORDER. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE
RULES TO ALLOW AUTHORS TO TAKE
UP ITEM ONE A BE ONE HEART AND
ITEM TWO A BE NINE PETRIE-NORRIS
TODAY, WITHOUT REFERENCE TO FILE
FOR THE PURPOSES OF A THIRD
READING. MR. LARA. THANK YOU.
MR. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
WITHHOLD CONSENT AND ASK FOR A
ROLL CALL. VOTE MR. FLOREZ,
WITHHOLDING CONSENT. MEMBERS
THE. DO YOU HAVE A SECOND FOR
THAT, MR. FULLER? SECOND. OKAY
MEMBERS A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE
RULES IS NOT DEBATABLE. IT TAKES
40 VOTES. SECONDED BY MISS
AGUILAR. CURRY'S MOTION IS TO
SUSPEND THE RULES. IT HAS BEEN
SECONDED BY MR. SANTIAGO. MR.
FLORES IS OBJECTING. THE MOTION
TO SUSPEND THE RULES IS NOT
DEBATABLE. THE MOTION TAKES 40
VOTES. THE CLERK WILL OPEN THE
ROLL. THIS IS A PROCEDURAL VOTE.
MEMBERS MISS AGUIAR-CURRY ASKING
FOR AN AYE VOTE. MR. LARA ASKING
FOR A NO VOTE. THE CLERK WILL
CLOSE THE ROLL AND TALLY THE
VOTES. AYES 49. NOES 15. THE
RULES ARE SUSPENDED. MOTION
CARRIES THE RULES ARE SUSPENDED.
MR. LARA. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE
RULES TO ALLOW ASSEMBLY MEMBER
GIBSON TO TAKE UP AB 2-8 WITHOUT
REFERENCE TO FILE FOR THE
PURPOSE OF THIRD READINGS.
MEMBERS MR. FLORES IS ASKING FOR
A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE
CONSTITUTION AND THE HOUSE RULES
TO WAIVE THE THREE READINGS AND
TAKE UP A BILL WITHOUT REFERENCE
TO COMMITTEE OR FILE. THE MOTION
REQUIRES A SECOND SECOND,
SECONDED BY MR. MATHIS. THE
MOTION IS NOT DEBATABLE AND IT
TAKES 54 VOTES. THE CLERK WILL
OPEN THE ROLL. ALL THOSE VOTE
WHO DESIRE TO VOTE. ALL THOSE
VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE. ALL
THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE.
WE ARE ASKING. MR. FLORES.
ASKING FOR AN AYE VOTE. MISS
AGUIAR-CURRY IS ASKING FOR A NO
VOTE. I KNOW THAT'S
UNCOMFORTABLE FOR SOME OF YOU.
THE TEST TO SEE IF THE BUTTON
ACTUALLY WORKS. FOOLED ME. ALL
THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE.
ALL THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO
VOTE. THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE
ROLL AND TALLY THE VOTE. AYES
17. NOS 50. THE MOTION TO
SUSPEND THE CONSTITUTION FAILS.
MR. LARA, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. I MOVE
TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO WITHDRAW
AB TWO FOUR JOE PATERSON FROM
RULES COMMITTEE AND AB TWO THREE
GALLAGHER FROM PETROLEUM AND
GASOLINE SUPPLY COMMITTEE AND
ORDER THEM TO THIRD READING TO
BE TAKEN UP WITHOUT REFERENCE TO
FILE MEMBERS. SECONDED BY MR.
LARA. MR. MOTION BY MR. FLORES
SECONDED BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER
SANCHEZ. WE'RE GOING TO YOU CAN
HAVE THE NEXT ONE IF THERE'S IF
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE. SO MEMBERS.
THIS IS AGAIN A MOTION TO
SUSPEND THE CONSTITUTION AND THE
HOUSE RULES TO WAIVE THE THREE
READINGS. BUT I NEED TO BREAK
THIS UP. HANG ON A SECOND. COULD
I GET YOUR ATTENTION, MEMBERS,
PLEASE? IT'S GOING TO BE TWO
SEPARATE. I NEED YOU. WHICH
WHICH WHICH BILLS AGAIN? DO YOU
WANT TO BREAK THEM APART? IS
THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? I THINK
WE NEED TO BREAK THEM APART.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THEN I MOVE TO
SUSPEND THE RULES. WITHDRAWAL AB
TWO FOUR, JOE PATTERSON FROM THE
RULES COMMITTEE. OKAY WE'LL
START WITH THAT. THANK YOU. SO
ONCE AGAIN, MEMBERS, THIS IS A
MOTION TO SUSPEND THE
CONSTITUTION AND THE AND THE
HOUSE RULES TO WAIVE THE THREE
MEETINGS AND TAKE UP THE BILL
WITHOUT REFERENCE OR COMMITTEE
TO COMMITTEE OR FILE. SO THE
MOTION WAS MADE, THE SECONDED BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER SANCHEZ, THE
MOTION NOT DEBATABLE. AND IT
TAKES 54 VOTES. LISTEN CAREFULLY
MEMBERS. MR. FLORES ASKING FOR
AN AYE VOTE. MISS AGUIAR-CURRY
ASKING FOR A NO VOTE. THE CLERK
WILL OPEN THE ROLL. ALL THOSE
VOTED WHO DESIRE TO VOTE. ALL
THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE.
ALL THOSE VOTE. WHO DESIRE TO
VOTE. THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE
ROLL AND TALLY THE VOTES. AYES
18. NOS 51. THE MOTION TO
SUSPEND THE CONSTITUTION FAILS.
MR. FLOOR, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. I MOVE
TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO WITHDRAW
AB TWO THREE. GALLAGHER FROM THE
PETROLEUM AND GASOLINE SUPPLY
COMMITTEE AND ORDER THEM TO
THIRD READING. BE TAKEN UP
WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE FILE.
THANK YOU, MR. LARA. THAT
REQUIRES A SECOND. MR. MATHIS IS
GOING TO SECOND THAT ONE. A
POINT OF INQUIRY, MR. GALLAGHER.
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. YEAH. I'M
WONDERING WHY THIS IS BEING
TREATED AS A MOTION. IS THIS A
MOTION TO. I'M WONDERING WHY
THIS IS BEING TREATED AS
SUSPENSION OF THE CONSTITUTION.
IS THIS ONE JUST RULES OR THE
CONCEPT? THIS ONE IS NOT. AND
THAT'S WHY WE SEPARATED THEM.
THIS. THIS MOTION WILL REQUIRE
40 VOTES BECAUSE THIS HAS HAD
THIS HAS BEEN HAD A HEARING HAD
BEEN READ INTO AS WELL. OKAY. SO
THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. THAT'S
WHY I SEPARATED THEM. SO THANK
YOU. THANK YOU MR. MR. MR.
GALLAGHER SO, MOTION IS NOT
DEBATABLE. MR. FLORES IS ASKING
FOR AN AYE VOTE. MISS
AGUIAR-CURRY IS ASKING FOR A NO
VOTE. THE CLERK WILL OPEN THE
ROLL. ALL THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE
TO VOTE. ALL THOSE VOTE WHO
DESIRE TO VOTE. ALL THOSE VOTE
WHO DESIRE TO VOTE. CLERK WILL
CLOSE THE ROLL AND TALLY THE
VOTES. AYES 17. NOES 52. MEASURE
FAILS. MOTION FAILS. MOTION
FAILS. MOVING TO BUSINESS ON THE
DAILY FILE. SECOND READING FILE
ITEMS ONE THROUGH TWO. THE CLERK
WILL READ A SENATE BILL ONE AND
NINE. ALL BILLS WILL BE DEEMED
READ AND ALL AMENDMENTS WILL BE
DEEMED ADOPTED. WE WILL NOW GO
TO ASSEMBLY BILL ONE BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER HART WITHOUT REFERENCE TO
FILE. THERE ARE AMENDMENTS
PENDING AT THE DESK BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER GALLAGHER. THE CLERK WILL
READ THE AMENDMENTS ALSO. BILL
ONE, WITH AMENDMENTS BY MEMBER
GALLAGHER. SO, MEMBER GALLAGHER,
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED ON THE
AMENDMENTS. YES. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. MADAM MAJORITY LEADER,
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. I MOVE TO
LAY THE AMENDMENTS ON THE TABLE.
OKAY. MY APOLOGIES. WE'LL LET
YOU OPEN. MR. GALLAGHER. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER. MR. SPEAKER,
AND MEMBERS, THESE AMENDMENTS
ARE TESTING THE SINCERITY, OF
THE SUPPORTERS OF THIS BILL. IF
WE ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT
ENSURING THAT WE HAVE A RESERVE
OF GASOLINE SO THAT WE HELP
AVOID PRICE SPIKES, AS HAS BEEN
PURPORTED, THEN WE NEED MORE
STORAGE. WE ABSOLUTELY NEED MORE
INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO THAT. RIGHT
NOW, THE EXISTING PIE ONLY TAKES
US SO FAR. AND IF YOU HOLD
GASOLINE BACK, PRICES WILL SPIKE.
THEY WILL GO UP. SO WE NEED TO
HAVE MORE OF A RESERVE. WE NEED
TO HAVE MORE STORAGE TANKS. WE
NEED TO HAVE MORE PIPELINES SO
THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY UTILIZE A
GAS RESERVE TO KEEP PRICES FROM
GOING UP. WHEN THERE'S
MAINTENANCE ON REFINERIES, WE
NEED MORE INFRASTRUCTURE. OUR
REFINERIES. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU
THAT THAT HOST REFINERIES, IF
YOU TRULY BELIEVE THAT WE NEED
TO HAVE MORE OF A RESERVE, THEN
YOU SHOULD BE WILLING TO BUILD
MORE AT YOUR EXISTING
REFINERIES. YOU SHOULD BE
WILLING TO SUPPORT THIS
AMENDMENT THAT WOULD BUILD MORE
STORAGE AND MORE PIPELINES TO
ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THAT
RESERVE. OTHERWISE, IT'S JUST A
FALSE PROMISE. YOU'RE MAKING A
FALSE PROMISE TO VOTERS AND TO
YOUR CONSTITUENTS. SO WITH THESE
AMENDMENTS, WHAT I'M SAYING IS
PUT PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR
MOUTH IS. IF YOU'RE TRULY SAYING
TODAY THAT THIS IS THE ONLY WAY
TO AVOID PRICE SPIKES. AND
YOU'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT
ACTUALLY LOWERING GAS PRICES
BECAUSE IT WON'T, BUT IF YOU'RE
REALLY, TRULY MEANING TO AVOID
PRICE SPIKES WHEN A REFINERY
GOES DOWN OR WHEN WE HAVE
MAINTENANCE, WHETHER IT'S
PLANNED OR UNPLANNED, THEN WE
NEED MORE INFRASTRUCTURE AND YOU
SHOULD SUPPORT THESE AMENDMENTS,
WHICH WOULD PROVIDE A CEQA
EXEMPTION AND STREAMLINING TO
BUILD MORE STORAGE AND BUILD
MORE PIPELINES. AND I KNOW THAT
YOU GUYS AREN'T ADVERSE TO THAT
BECAUSE YOU ALL DID IT FOR THE
CAPITOL ANNEX, RIGHT? THAT IS
NOW SPIKED TO $1.2 BILLION OF
TAXPAYER MONEY. SO YOU DIDN'T
HESITATE TO SUSPEND SEQUA TO
BUILD THIS ANNEX BUILDING AT
TAXPAYERS EXPENSE. YOU SHOULD
REALLY BALK AT DOING THE REAL
WORK TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE, TO
HAVE A REAL RESERVE ON GASOLINE
IN THIS STATE. SO I'M GOING TO
GIVE YOU GUYS THE OPPORTUNITY.
YOU CAN VOTE FOR THESE
AMENDMENTS, ADD IT TO THIS BILL,
AND THEN WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE A
REAL RESERVE OF GASOLINE IN
CALIFORNIA. AND WE'LL HAVE THE
ACTUAL ABILITY TO DO IT WITH THE
INSTRUMENTALITIES AND THE
INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE. SO
HERE'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY. I HOPE
THAT YOU WILL VOTE FOR THESE
AMENDMENTS. THANK YOU, MR.
GALLAGHER. MADAM MAJORITY LEADER,
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. I MOVE TO
LAY THE AMENDMENTS ON THE TABLE.
A MOTION IS SECONDED BY MR.
SANTIAGO. THE MOTION IS NOT
DEBATABLE. IT TAKES A MAJORITY
OF THOSE PRESENT AND VOTING.
THIS IS A PROCEDURAL VOTE. THE
CLERK WILL OPEN THE ROLES.
MAJORITY LEADER IS ASKING FOR AN
AYE VOTE. MR. GALLAGHER IS
ASKING FOR A NO VOTE. ALL THOSE
VÚI WHO DESIRE TO VOTE, ALL
THOSE VÚI WHO DESIRE TO VOTE.
THE MAJORITY LEADER ASKING FOR
AN AYE VOTE. MR. GALLAGHER FOR A
NO VOTE. THE CLERK WILL CLOSE
THE ROLL AND TALLY THE VOTES.
AYES 54, NOES 17. THE AMENDMENTS
ARE LAID ON THE TABLE. MOVING TO
THE PRESENTATION OF THE BILL IN
CHIEF, THE CLERK WILL READ THE
BILL ONE BY SOME OF HER HEART
AND OTHERS AN ACT RELATING TO
ENERGY. ASSEMBLY MEMBER HART.
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU,
MR. SPEAKER. COLLEAGUES, WE'VE
BEEN CALLED INTO THIS
EXTRAORDINARY SESSION TO PROVIDE
FINANCIAL RELIEF AT THE GAS PUMP
FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS. THANKS TO
THE PASSAGE OF SB ONE TWO, WHICH
WAS PASSED LAST SPECIAL SESSION,
THE CEC AND NEWLY FORMED
DIVISION OF PETROLEUM MARKET
OVERSIGHT HAVE GAINED CRITICAL
INSIGHTS INTO REFINER OPERATIONS
AND GAS PRICE TRENDS IN
CALIFORNIA. THE DPMO REVEALED
THAT PLANNED REFINERY
MAINTENANCE AND LOW FUEL
INVENTORY RESULTED IN GAS PRICE
SPIKES ANNUALLY IN THE EARLY
FALL, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE
PANDEMIC, GAS PRICES SURPASSED
$6 PER GALLON LAST SEPTEMBER,
COSTING CONSUMERS AN EXTRA $2.2
BILLION. AB1 IS A TOOL TO
ADDRESS FUEL PRICE SPIKES AND
PRICE GOUGING AT THE PUMP, THE
BILL CLARIFIES AND BUILDS ON LAW
FROM LAST YEAR, REQUIRING
REFINERIES TO SUBMIT RESUPPLY
PLANS TO THE CALIFORNIA ENERGY
COMMISSION IN ADVANCE OF
MAINTENANCE OR TURNAROUND
EVENTS. LET ME BE CLEAR AB1 DOES
NOT PROHIBIT A REFINERY FROM
CONDUCTING IMPORTANT
MAINTENANCE. REFINERS CAN AND
SHOULD PERFORM THE MAINTENANCE
THEY NEED TO DO TO KEEP THEIR
FACILITIES SAFE. AB1 HOLDS
REFINERIES ACCOUNTABLE TO
RESPONSIBLE PLANNING AHEAD OF
MAINTENANCE EVENTS. THE MEASURE
ALSO GIVES THE CEC THE AUTHORITY
TO OPEN A FORMAL RULEMAKING
PROCESS TO DETERMINE WHETHER
REQUIRING MINIMUM INVENTORY
FUELS LEVELS WOULD BENEFIT
CALIFORNIA CONSUMERS. A COST
EFFECTIVENESS TEST IS BAKED IN
THAT ASSESSES WHETHER INVENTORY
REQUIREMENTS WILL INCREASE FUEL
SUPPLY, LOWER PRICES ANNUALLY,
AND REDUCE MARKET VOLATILITY.
LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT IS
IMPERATIVE. THE CEC IS REQUIRED
TO SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT TO
THE LEGISLATURE, REEVALUATING
THE NEED FOR REGULATIONS AND THE
MINIMUM INVENTORY REGULATIONS.
SUNSET ON JANUARY 1ST, 2033. THE
LEGISLATURE ALSO HAS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CONVENE
INFORMATIONAL HEARINGS AND
OVERSIGHT HEARINGS THROUGHOUT
THE REGULATORY PROCESS AT ANY
TIME. THE GOAL IS SIMPLE
GUARANTEE THAT FUEL RESERVES ARE
READILY AVAILABLE FOR CONSUMERS
DURING MAINTENANCE EVENTS AND
SUPPLY CONSTRAINTS. AS A MEMBER
OF THE SPECIAL SESSIONS,
PETROLEUM AND GASOLINE SUPPLY
COMMITTEE, I WORKED WITH MANY OF
YOU AS WE LEARNED ABOUT THE
COMPLEX TRANSPORTATION FUELS
MARKET. I LISTENED TO MY
COLLEAGUES CONCERNS ON STORAGE
INFRASTRUCTURE, THE SPOT MARKET,
AND THE IMPACT ON FRONTLINE
COMMUNITIES. I'M PROUD TO
PRESENT A BILL TODAY THAT
ADDRESSES MANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES
AND STAKEHOLDERS CONCERNS. I
ACCEPTED AMENDMENTS IN COMMITTEE
THAT PROTECT FRONTLINE
COMMUNITIES BY PROHIBITING THE
CONSTRUCTION OF ADDITIONAL
STORAGE, MANDATING THAT
WORKPLACE SAFETY IS THE PRIMARY
CONSIDERATION WHEN ESTABLISHING
REGULATIONS, REINSTATING THE
STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY COMMITTEE,
ENSURING THAT INDUSTRY, LABOR,
AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE HAVE A
SEAT AT THE TABLE, AND INCLUDING
A SUNSET DATE. THIS BILL
INCENTIVIZES FUEL REFINERIES TO
PLAN PROACTIVELY, SAVING
CALIFORNIANS CONSUMERS BILLIONS
AT THE PUMP WHILE MAINTAINING
PROFITS. THIS PROPOSAL IS
TIMELY, AS THE DEPARTMENT OF
PETROLEUM MARKETING OVERSIGHT
ISSUED A CONSUMER ADVISORY JUST
TWO WEEKS AGO, CITING THE
CALIFORNIA IS ONCE AGAIN SEEING
A SIGNIFICANT SPIKE IN GAS
PRICES. COLLEAGUES I URGE YOU TO
VOTE AYE ON AB ONE. LET'S TAKE
ACTION NOW TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO
CALIFORNIANS WHO NEED GASOLINE
IN THEIR CARS TO GET TO WORK,
DRIVE THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL,
VOTE AND VISIT LOVED ONES. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HART. MR.
LACKEY, YOU ARE. OH. I'M SORRY.
HANG ON A SECOND. I'M GOING TO
ALLOW, MISS AGUILAR CURRIE TO
SPEAK AS THE PRINCIPAL JOINT OR
THE JOINT AUTHOR ON THE BILL.
PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD AFTERNOON.
COLLEAGUES. TODAY I RISE IN
SUPPORT OF AB 12-1 COLLEAGUES.
I'LL KEEP THIS SHORT. MY
COLLEAGUE AND JOINT AUTHOR FROM
SANTA BARBARA HAS COVERED THE
MAIN POINTS VERY WELL. THIS BILL
CRACKS DOWN ON REFINERY PRICE
SPIKES WHILE MAINTAINING
IMPORTANT PROTECTIONS FOR THE
HEALTH AND SAFETY OF REFINERY
WORKERS AND SURROUNDING
COMMUNITIES. I WANT TO TAKE A
MINUTE TO HIGHLIGHT THE THOROUGH
PUBLIC PROCESS THAT GOT US HERE.
THE ASSEMBLY COULD HAVE ACTED
QUICKLY AT THE END OF AUGUST,
BUT MANY OF US FELT THAT WE DID
NOT HAVE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT
OF TIME TO CONSIDER A BILL OF
THIS MAGNITUDE IN THE LAST DAYS
OF SESSION, IN ORDER FOR US TO
ENGAGE IN THE KIND OF THOUGHTFUL
PROCESS THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE
CHAIR AND THE COMMITTEE ON
PETROLEUM AND GASOLINE SUPPLY
HAVE UNDERTAKEN, WE HAVE
UNDERTAKEN. WE ASK THE GOVERNOR
TO CALL THE SECOND EXTRAORDINARY
SESSION SO WE COULD TAKE THE
TIME THE PUBLIC DESERVES. I
WATCHED THE HISTORIC AMOUNT OF
TESTIMONY FROM STAKEHOLDERS AND
PARTICIPATION BY THE MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE DURING THE THREE
DAYS OF EXTENSIVE HEARINGS, OVER
14 HOURS PRIMARILY SPENT ON AB,
X2 ONE. BUT I WILL ALSO SAY
TODAY THAT WE ARE NOT DONE.
SHOULD THIS BILL PASS THROUGH
THE LEGISLATURE AND BE SIGNED BY
THE GOVERNOR. THIS BODY VERY
MUCH INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF REGULATIONS AND OVERSIGHT
THAT WILL FOLLOW THIS BECOMING
LAW. YOU KNOW, WE CAN RARELY
MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY WITH THE
WORK WE DO IN THIS BODY. BUT I
DO FEEL VERY PROUD THAT THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL, EMBODIED IN
AB 2X1, RECEIVED THE ATTENTION
AND SCRUTINY IT DESERVES. THE
MANY AMENDMENTS WE'VE TAKEN IN
THIS SECOND EXTRAORDINARY
SESSION MAKES THIS A
SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER PRODUCT. I
AM SO PROUD OF ALL THE WORK.
THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE ON THAT
COMMITTEE HAVE DONE THAT YOU
LISTENED AND YOU ASK GOOD
QUESTIONS AND THAT WHERE WE ARE
TODAY, FOR THAT REASON,
COLLEAGUES, I ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
AGUIAR-CURRY ASSEMBLY MEMBER
LACKEY. YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. MEMBERS,
I MUST RISE IN OPPOSITION TO
THIS MEASURE. I'M PROUD TO
REPRESENT WORKING CLASS
COMMUNITY WHERE MANY OF THE
CONSTITUENTS DRIVE AS MANY AS
TWO HOURS EACH WAY TO WORK. ANY
INCREASE IN THE GAS PRICE
INFLICTS FINANCIAL PAIN TO THESE
PERSONAL BUDGETS. THOSE LONG
DAILY HOURS IN THE CAR WORKING
ONE, SOMETIMES AT LEAST TWO JOBS
TO HELP PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
PAY THE RENT AND KEEP THE LIGHTS
ON FOR THEIR LOVED ONES. HARD
WORKING CALIFORNIANS DESERVE
BETTER THAN THE GOVERNOR'S
EXPERIMENT. EVEN THE GOVERNOR'S
OWN ADMINISTRATION HAS STATED
THAT THIS LEGISLATION COULD
CREATE ARTIFICIAL SUPPLY
SHORTAGES AND INADVERTENTLY
INCREASE GAS PRICES. WE ALL KNOW
THAT FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING,
AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE AN
AFFORDABILITY CRISIS, AND
ESPECIALLY THOSE IN MY DISTRICT
WHO SPEND SUCH A CONSIDERABLE
PART OF THEIR LIFE COMMUTING TO
AND FROM WORK. THESE PRICES ARE
VERY SIGNIFICANT TO THEIR
BUDGETS. IF THE GOAL IS TO LOWER
THE COST OF GAS TO THE CONSUMER,
WE MUST SUSPEND THE GAS TAX. AND
I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR A NO VOTE.
THANK YOU, MR. LACKEY. MR.
MURATSUCHI, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
COLLEAGUES I FIRST OF ALL, WANT
TO THANK OUR SPEAKER FOR
CONVENING AND MAKING SURE THAT
WE CONVENE THE SPECIAL SESSION
SO THAT WE ENGAGED IN THE VERY
THOUGHTFUL, VERY DELIBERATIVE
PROCESS THAT THOSE OF US THAT
HAVE SERVED ON THIS SPECIAL
COMMITTEE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN
IN RECENT WEEKS. THIS IS CLEARLY
NOT ONLY GAS PRICES, BUT ALSO
ISSUES LIKE WORKER AND COMMUNITY
SAFETY, REFINERY SAFETY IS A
CRITICAL ISSUE THAT SHOULD NOT
BE SHORTCUTTED. AS A
REPRESENTATIVE OF THREE OF THE
NINE MAJOR REFINERIES IN THE
STATE THAT PRODUCES OUR GAS, I
HAVE CONSISTENTLY PRIORITIZED
NOT JUST GAS PRICES, BUT WORKER
AND COMMUNITY SAFETY BECAUSE
WORKER SAFETY IS REFINERY SAFETY.
I HAVE RAISED CONCERNS,
ESPECIALLY GIVEN MY PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE WITH REFINERY SAFETY.
IN 2015, THE TORRANCE REFINERY
EXPLODED AND I LIVED JUST A FEW
MILES AWAY FROM THE TORRANCE
REFINERY AND SAW THE SIGNIFICANT
IMPACT AND CONCERNS RAISED IN
OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO I HAVE NOT
ONLY THE PBF REFINERY IN
TORRANCE, I HAVE THE CHEVRON
REFINERY IN EL SEGUNDO,
PHILLIPS, 66, AND WILMINGTON.
AND AGAIN, I RAISED THAT POINT
TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE CANNOT AND
SHOULD NOT COMPROMISE ON
REFINERY SAFETY. I'M REFERRING
TO A LETTER FROM THE UNITED
STEELWORKERS DATED SEPTEMBER
24TH OF THIS YEAR THAT RAISES
CONCERNS WITHOUT TAKING A
POSITION ON THE BILL. THE LETTER
IN THE SECTION EMPHASIZING THE
CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE
TIMING AND SCOPE OF REFINERY
TURNAROUNDS AND ENSURING
REFINERY SAFETY, CLEARLY STATES
NOTHING IN THIS BILL SHOULD
DELAY OR PREVENT NECESSARY
TURNAROUND WORK. THAT IS A
CRITICAL GOAL THAT WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE WE LAND EITHER IN THIS
BILL IN ITS FINAL FORM OR IN ANY
SUBSEQUENT LEGISLATION, THE
LETTER SPECIFICALLY CALLS FOR
SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT WOULD
PREVENT ANY ASPECT OF MINIMUM
INVENTORY OR RESUPPLY PLANS FROM
BEING CONSIDERED OR DISCUSSED.
WHEN WORKERS ARE FACED WITH
DANGEROUS SITUATIONS REQUIRING
EMERGENCY TURNAROUND AND
MAINTENANCE WORK, THAT IS MY
REQUEST TO THE AUTHORS OF THIS
BILL TO ENSURE EITHER IN THE
FINAL VERSION OF THIS BILL OR IN
SUBSEQUENT LEGISLATION, THAT WE
MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING DELAYS OR
PREVENTS EMERGENCY TURNAROUND OR
MAINTENANCE WORK. INCLUDING ANY
CONSIDERATIONS OF MINIMUM
INVENTORY OR RESUPPLY PLANS. AND
WITH THAT COMMITMENT, I WILL BE
VOTING FOR THE BILL TODAY, AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT
HAPPENS WITH ANY SUBSEQUENT
AMENDMENTS TO THIS BILL OR ANY
FUTURE LEGISLATION. THANK YOU,
MR. MURATSUCHI. MR. BENNETT, YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. YOU KNOW, CALIFORNIA'S
GASOLINE PRICES ARE HIGHER THAN
GAS PRICES IN THE REST OF THE
COUNTRY. AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE
FUND OUR ROAD MAINTENANCE AND
OUR ROAD CONSTRUCTION THROUGH
GASOLINE TAXES. AND IT'S ALSO
BECAUSE WE ENDED THE WORST
POLLUTION, AIR POLLUTION IN THE
COUNTRY WITH OUR STRICT AIR
REGULATION REQUIREMENTS FOR OUR
GASOLINE. BUT CALIFORNIANS
TODAY, ALSO, BESIDES THESE
HIGHER GAS PRICES FACE PRICE
SURGES THAT ARE NOT THE RESULT
OF OUR HIGHER GAS TAXES. THEY'RE
NOT THE RESULT OF OUR
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS. THESE
UNIQUE CALIFORNIA GAS PRICE GAS.
YOU KNOW, BY THE WAY, WHEN I WAS
PRACTICING THIS, TRY TO SAY
GASOLINE PRICE SPIKES OVER AND
OVER AGAIN FAST, RIGHT? YOU'LL
HAVE SOME FUN WITH THAT. BUT,
THESE GASOLINE PRICES HAPPEN
EVEN WHEN GAS PRICES ARE GOING
DOWN AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY
PRICES ARE GOING UP. IN
CALIFORNIA, OUR TAXES DIDN'T
CHANGE OUR REGULATIONS DIDN'T
CHANGE. BUT CALIFORNIANS ALONE
ARE EXPERIENCING THESE PRICE
SURGES NOW. THE ENERGY
COMMISSION PRESENTED COMPELLING
DATA TO THE COMMITTEE THAT THESE
UNIQUE PRICE SURGES ARE
ASSOCIATED AND LINKED TO LOWER
THAN NORMAL GASOLINE INVENTORIES
IN OUR STATE. AND IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT WE STOP HERE AND
EMPHASIZE LOWER THAN NORMAL
INVENTORY LEVELS, NOT FOCUSED ON
ONE REFINERY, BUT FOR MOST OF
THE YEAR, GASOLINE INVENTORY
LEVELS INDUSTRY WIDE ARE
SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE THE
THRESHOLD THAT IS ASSOCIATED
WITH THESE CALIFORNIA UNIQUE
PRICE SPIKES. RIGHT? IT JUST
MAKES COMMON SENSE. IF WE HAVE
SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAVE
AVOIDABLE PRICE SPIKES THAT
COULD BE AVOIDED SIMPLY BY
KEEPING INVENTORY LEVELS AT
NORMAL LEVELS, RIGHT? THAT WE
SHOULD MAKE AN EFFORT TO TRY TO
DO THAT. THAT'S WHAT THIS BILL
IS ABOUT. AND AS MY COLLEAGUE
FROM SANTA BARBARA POINTED OUT,
THERE ARE GREAT SAVINGS FOR
CALIFORNIANS. IF WE CAN AVOID
JUST THESE NARROWLY FOCUSED,
AVOIDABLE PRICE SPIKES. AND IN
PARTICULAR, WE ALL KNOW LOW
INCOME RESIDENTS SUFFER THE MOST
WHEN THEY HAVE PRICE SPIKES THAT
COMPLETELY BLOW THEIR BUDGETING.
THE BILL EMPOWERS THE CSB TO
DEVELOP. FIRST, THEY MUST BE
COST EFFECTIVE. SO IF THEY ARE
GOING TO CAUSE PRICES TO GO UP,
AS SOME PEOPLE ALLEGE TODAY,
THEY CAN'T GO FORWARD WITH IT.
AND ALSO PRACTICAL REGULATIONS
THAT KEEP GASOLINE STORAGE AT
NORMAL LEVELS. I WANT TO
EMPHASIZE THIS IS NOT AN ATTEMPT
TO DEMAND TO DEMAND SIGNIFICANT
NEW STORAGE OR INCUR SIGNIFICANT
NEW COSTS, BUT RATHER USE THE
EXISTING STORAGE WIDE CAPACITY
MORE APPROPRIATELY SO THAT WE
STAY ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS. THE
BASIC STRATEGY ENGAGE IN
PROACTIVE PLANNING TO ENSURE
ENOUGH REPLACEMENT FUEL IS
ORDERED IN ADVANCE AND OR ON
HAND FOR BOTH PLANNED AND
UNPLANNED MAINTENANCE EVENTS,
RATHER THAN ONLY HAVING MARKET
FORCES DETERMINE WHAT THE
STORAGE LEVELS ARE GOING TO BE
IN CALIFORNIA, WE NEED THE
PUBLIC'S INTEREST TO BE
REPRESENTED BY THE CEC WHEN
DECISIONS ARE MADE TO GO BELOW
NORMAL STORAGE LEVELS, AND THE
CLAIM THAT THIS IS SOMEHOW GOING
TO RAISE PRICES JUST DEFIES THE
LOGIC OF A LOGICAL
INTERPRETATION OF THE DATA AND
FACTS THAT THEY HAVE GIVEN US. I
WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE REFINERIES
ARE NOT THE BOGEYMEN IN THIS
SITUATION. THEY ARE DOING WHAT
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, WHICH IS
MAXIMIZE THEIR PROFITS. EVEN IF
THEY WANTED TO, THEY COULD NOT
COORDINATE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE
AND GET INTO INDUSTRY, KEEP
INDUSTRY WIDE STORAGE LEVELS UP
RIGHT. IT'S THE STATE'S
RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT
CALIFORNIANS FROM THOSE
AVOIDABLE PRICE SURGES. THE
INDUSTRY CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE OF
ANTITRUST LAWS, EVEN IF THEY
WANTED TO. AND THEIR PURPOSE IS
TO MAXIMIZE PROFITS, NOT AVOID
YOUR FINAL THOUGHTS. MR.
BENNETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
LET ME BRING THIS BRING THIS TO
A CLOSE, IF I CAN, WITH THE
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS. THIS BILL
IS A GOOD FAITH ATTEMPT TO BOTH
PROTECT CALIFORNIANS FROM THESE
AVOIDABLE GASOLINE PRICE SURGES
AND ALSO ENSURE THAT THESE
REGULATORY EFFORTS DO NOT IN ANY
WAY REDUCE WORKER SAFETY. I LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MY
COLLEAGUE FROM TORRANCE AND WITH
THE AUTHOR, AS THERE ARE MANY
IDEAS THAT HAVE COME UP EVEN
OVER THE WEEKEND ABOUT HOW TO DO
BOTH OF THOSE THINGS WITH THIS
BILL AND FUTURE LEGISLATION, I
STRONGLY ENCOURAGE AND I VOTE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER BENNETT. DOCTOR
WOOD, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK
YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. I RISE IN
SUPPORT OF THE BILL, AND I WANT
TO START BY COMMENDING THE
AUTHORS FOR THEIR DILIGENCE AND
LISTENING CLOSELY TO THE
TESTIMONY THAN THE IN THE EIGHT.
WAS IT TEN HOURS OF PUBLIC
HEARINGS? WE HAD PRIOR TO THE
BILL HEARING LAST WEEK, AND
TAKING THAT IN AND REACTING TO
IT, THE WORKER SAFETY ISSUE, I
THINK, CAME UP OVER AND OVER
AGAIN, AND IT WAS PARAMOUNT THAT
THAT BE ADDRESSED. AND THE
AUTHORS HAVE DONE THAT, AND, AND
SOME THERE ARE ADDITIONAL
AMENDMENTS THAT I THINK WILL GO
FORWARD FROM THERE, FROM WHAT WE
HEARD DURING THE BILL HEARING
ITSELF. BUT THE AUTHORS HAVE
BEEN REALLY DILIGENT IN
RESPONDING TO THE CONCERNS OF
THE OPPOSITION HERE, ESPECIALLY
WORKERS AND WORKER SAFETY IS
IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, IT IS ABOUT
SUPPLY, SUPPLY AND DEMAND. IT'S
BASIC ECONOMIC THEORY HERE. AND
WHEN THE SUPPLY IS PLENTIFUL,
THE PRICES REMAIN STABLE. BUT
WHEN THERE'S A DISRUPTION IN
THAT SUPPLY, THAT'S WHEN THINGS
HAPPEN. WHAT IS REALLY
UNFORTUNATE IN THIS CASE IS THAT
WHEN ONE REFINERY ENCOUNTERS
SOMETHING UNSUSPECTED,
UNEXPECTED, EVERY OTHER, EVERY
OTHER, EVERY OTHER ENTITY RAISES
THE PRICE ACROSS THE BOARD. SO
WHY SHOULD THE MISFORTUNE OF ONE
LEAD TO THE FORTUNES OF THE
OTHER? AND BY THE WAY, WHEN THE
PRICES GO UP FOR THEM, THEY GO
UP FOR THE AFFECTED REFINERIES
OR ENTITIES AS WELL, WHICH HELPS
THEM TO OFFSET THE COSTS OF
WHATEVER IT WAS THAT LED TO THIS.
CONSUMERS PAY FOR THAT BECAUSE
IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD AND THAT'S
JUST NOT FAIR. THAT'S NOT FAIR.
IN MY DISTRICT, WE SEE THE GAS
SPIKES EVEN MORE BECAUSE THE
GAS, THERE'S NO PIPELINES IN MY
DISTRICT. EVERYTHING HAS TO BE
TRUCKED IN. SO WHEN YOU HAVE A
$6 A GALLON PRICE, SOMETHING
GOES SPIKES TO $6. IN THE BAY
AREA. IT GOES TO SEVEN OR MORE
IN MY DISTRICT. AND THAT MEANS
THE COST OF EVERYTHING GOES UP,
FOOD GOES UP, GOODS GO UP,
EVERYTHING GOES UP. WHEN THE
PRICE OF GAS GOES UP IN MY
DISTRICT, BECAUSE YOU GOT TO
TRANSPORT IT ALL THERE. SO ANY
EFFORT TO FLATTEN THESE SPIKES
OUT IS WELCOME. AND I, I REALLY
I SPENT I READ EVERY SINGLE
DOCUMENT THAT WAS PUT BEFORE US.
I STAYED FOR EVERY MINUTE OF
THESE HEARINGS TO LISTEN AND
TAKE THIS IN. AND I HONESTLY
BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A GOOD
FAITH ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS A REAL
PROBLEM IN CALIFORNIA. AND WITH
THAT, I REALLY URGE YOU TO VOTE
FOR THIS BILL. WE CAN MAKE
CHANGES LATER IF THINGS AREN'T
AWRY. NOTHING WE DO IN THIS
BUILDING IS CARVED IN STONE, AND
NOTHING WE DO IS EVER COMPLETELY
PERFECT. BUT WE DESERVE THE. THE
PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA DESERVE OUR
BEST EFFORT AND RIGHT NOW, I
THINK THIS IS OUR BEST EFFORT.
AND THAT'S WHY I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR YOUR AYE VOTE. THANK
YOU. DOCTOR. WOULD
ASSEMBLYMEMBER RUBIO, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER, AND MEMBERS, I RISE
TODAY TO URGE CAUTION AND
CONSIDERING THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION. THANK YOU TO THE
CHAIR OF OUR SPECIAL SESSION
COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS THE
SPEAKER, FOR CONVENING THE
SESSION TO FURTHER DISCUSS THIS
REALLY COMPLEX BILL. WITHOUT
THEIR LEADERSHIP, MANY OF US AS
WELL AS OUR CONSTITUENTS, WOULD
BE IN THE DARK REGARDING THE
COMPLICATED NATURE OF THIS
PROPOSAL. THROUGH THOSE
DISCUSSIONS, IT HAS BEEN MADE
ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT THERE ARE
CONCERNS REGARDING WORKER
SAFETY, PRACTICALITY AND ACTUAL
IMPACT THIS MEASURE WOULD HAVE
ON PRICES AT THE PUMP AND ON
WORKING CLASS FAMILIES. LAST
YEAR, THE LEGISLATURE MET FOR A
SIMILAR SPECIAL SESSION AND
PASSED SB ONE TWO, WHICH
CONTAINED MULTIPLE MAJOR
PROVISIONS INTENDED TO PROVIDE
CONSUMERS RELIEF AT THE PUMP.
WHILE WE STAND HERE TODAY TO
DEBATE THIS MEASURE, SOME OF
THOSE MAJOR PROVISIONS FROM ITS
PREDECESSOR ARE YET TO BE
DELIVERED. THE INDEPENDENT
CONSUMER FUELS ADVISORY
COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO
BE ESTABLISHED BY SB ONE TWO,
HAS NOT BEEN FORMED. MEMBERS. WE
HAVE SEEN THIS STORY BEFORE IN
MAJOR PROVISIONS OF A BILL THAT
REQUIRE A SPECIAL SESSION.
ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO CAN FALL TO
THE WAYSIDE. HOW WILL WE ENSURE
THAT THE STATUTES OF THIS
LEGISLATION ARE MEANINGFUL,
MEANINGFULLY IMPLEMENTED AND
ACTUALLY BENEFIT CALIFORNIANS
WITH THE URGENCY DICTATED BY
THIS VERY MEASURE? IN THE
MEANTIME, CARB IS ACTIVELY
REVIEWING AND UPDATING
REGULATIONS TO BOTH THE CAP AND
TRADE PROGRAM AND THE LOW CARBON
FUEL STANDARDS. THE RESULTS OF
THESE CHANGES COULD POTENTIALLY
DRIVE COSTS AT THE PUMP UP FOR
THE CONSUMER BY UP TO $0.45.
WHILE THIS BILL INTENDS TO TAKE
ON THE ISSUE OF PRICE SPIKES, IT
DOES NOT ADDRESS THE FACT THAT
OUR EVERYDAY GAS PRICES ARE
UNUSUALLY AND UNNECESSARILY HIGH.
WE MAY PASS THIS BILL TODAY, BUT
CONSUMERS WILL FEEL THE EFFECTS
OF THIS CHANGING CARB
REGULATIONS WELL BEFORE THE
STATUTES AND STATUTES ARE
IMPLEMENTED, AND WE WILL BE LEFT
EXPLAINING TO OUR CONSTITUENTS
WHY PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE
DESPITE THE CONVENING OF NOT
JUST THIS SPECIAL SESSION, BUT
LAST YEARS AS WELL. THE
ADMINISTRATION HAS AN IMMENSE
AMOUNT OF AUTHORITY AND TOOLS AT
THEIR DISPOSAL, MANY OF WHICH
COULD HAVE AN IMMEDIATE POSITIVE
IMPACT ON CONSUMERS AND OUR
FUELS MARKET. I WORRY BY FURTHER
CEDING THE LEGISLATURE'S
AUTHORITY, WE FURTHER ERODE THE
ACCOUNTABILITY OUR CONSTITUENTS
TRUSTED US WITH BY ELECTING US
IN THE FIRST PLACE. I LOOK
FORWARD TO SEEING THE PROMISED
CHANGES AND FURTHER DISCUSSION
ON THIS COME TO FRUITION IN THE
SENATE, BUT FOR THE REASONS
MENTIONED, I CANNOT SUPPORT THE
MEASURE BEFORE US TODAY. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
RUBIO, ASSEMBLY MEMBER BURR, YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED. MR. SPEAKER,
MEMBERS, I RISE TODAY IN SUPPORT
OF THIS BILL. I WANT TO FIRST
START OUT BY THANKING MR.
SPEAKER, THE CHAIR OF THE
SPECIAL COMMITTEE. THE BILL
AUTHORS, THE ADMINISTRATION AND
ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR
THE THOUGHTFUL AND EXTENSIVE
HEARINGS THAT WERE DEVOTED TO
PROBING AND UNDERSTANDING STEPS
THAT CALIFORNIA CAN TAKE TO
REDUCE GAS PRICE SPIKES AND GAS
PRICES OVERALL, FOR CALIFORNIA
CONSUMERS. I WILL BE VOTING FOR
THIS BILL TODAY BECAUSE THE
GOVERNOR HAS MADE A COMPELLING
CASE THAT CALIFORNIA EXPERIENCES
SIGNIFICANT GAS PRICE SPIKES AND
OVERALL HIGHER GAS PRICES THAT
ARE UNIQUE TO CALIFORNIA AND
HURTING AVERAGE FAMILIES IN THE
STATE. THE GOVERNOR PRESENTED
COMPELLING EVIDENCE THAT PRICE
SPIKES OCCUR AT TIMES WHEN
DEMAND EXCEEDS REFINERY SUPPLY
CAPACITY, AND HAS REQUESTED THAT
THE CEC BE GRANTED AUTHORITY TO
CONSIDER ADOPTING REGULATIONS
WITH THE PRIMARY PURPOSE. THE
PRIMARY PURPOSE TO BRING DOWN
GAS PRICES, WHICH IS WHAT
CALIFORNIA CONSUMERS NEED AND
WANT. THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL,
IF DONE RIGHT, HAS THE POTENTIAL
TO SAVE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AT
THE PUMP, AND THAT IS THE GOAL.
AND THAT IS WHY I'M VOTING FOR
THE BILL TODAY. THAT SAID, WE
NEED TO GET THIS RIGHT, AND I
BELIEVE THAT THE BUILDING TRADES
HAVE RAISED LEGITIMATE CONCERNS
RELATED TO JOBS AND WORKER AND
COMMUNITY SAFETY THAT HAVE YET
TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE BILL. I'M
GRATEFUL THAT THE AUTHORS AND
THE ADMINISTRATION HAVE PROMISED
TO CONTINUE WORKING ON THE BILL
AS IT MOVES TO THIS THROUGH THE
SENATE TO IN AN ATTEMPT TO
ADDRESS THE BUILDING TRADES
CONCERNS. I HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT
THEY INTEND TO MAKE GOOD ON
THEIR PROMISE AND FOR THESE
REASONS AND MANY OTHERS, I URGE
YOUR YES VOTE YOUR AYE VOTE
TODAY. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS OF BURR, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
MATHIS, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. MEMBERS
THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE BIGGEST
DOG AND PONY SHOW I HAVE SEEN UP
HERE IN TEN YEARS. IT REALLY HAS
TO BE. WE ARE BLAMING EVERYTHING
WE CAN ON THE REASON WHY GAS IS
SO EXPENSIVE IN OUR STATE,
EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT THE
GOVERNOR AND THIS BODY HAVEN'T
MOVED. WE HAVE DECREASED OIL
PRODUCTION IN CALIFORNIA AND
THEN WE BLAME OUR LOCALS.
WHENEVER THERE'S AN OIL SPILL
FROM OFFSHORE, WE CUT OUR
ABILITY TO REFINE. WE JUST SHOT
DOWN A PROPOSAL BY MY COLLEAGUE
TO SPEED UP SEQUA SO WE COULD
ACTUALLY BUILD MORE. WHAT ARE WE
DOING? WE HEAR, OH, THIS IS
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WORKER
SAFETY. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT
THIS. BUT THE FACT IS, WHEN YOU
TAKE AWAY YOUR ABILITY AND YOU
PULL IT OVER HERE, YOU'RE
DECREASING WHAT'S ON THE MARKET
BEFORE YOU'RE INCREASING
PRODUCTION. THAT'S A FACT. TALK
ABOUT MARKET FORCES. THE FACT
IS, WHEN YOU PULL SOME OF IT
AWAY, THERE'S LESS AT THE PUMP.
SO THE PRICE GOES UP. THAT'S A
SIMPLE FACT OF ECONOMICS. MAYBE
WE NEED TO LOOK AT ECONOMICS
CLASSES IN HIGH SCHOOL AGAIN TO
MAKE SURE WE ALL HAVE THE SAME
CURRICULUM. WE'VE HAD
OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS. WE TALK
ABOUT Þ MORE TIME. SO WE DIDN'T
RUSH THIS MEMBERS. WE'VE BEEN
LOOKING AT GAS PRICES FOR WELL
OVER TWO YEARS. ANYBODY THAT'S
BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO
CALIFORNIA POLITICS HAS BEEN
LOOKING AT GAS COSTS FOR THE
LAST DECADE. THIS MEASURE DOES
NOTHING TO REDUCE THE COST TO
FAMILIES. TOMORROW IT DOES
NOTHING TO REDUCE IT NEXT YEAR
OR THE FOLLOWING YEAR, MAYBE
TEN, 20 YEARS IN THE FUTURE. THE
GOVERNOR DOESN'T KNOW BECAUSE HE
HASN'T ANSWERED THAT QUESTION.
THE FACT IS, VOTING ON THIS
TODAY WILL INCREASE COST
TOMORROW. I ASK YOU FOR A NO
VOTE. THANK YOU, MR. MATHIS. MR.
JOE PATTERSON, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. MEMBERS, IT'S GREAT TO
SEE YOU IN THIS OCTOBER, I'M
SURE YOU'RE HAPPY TO SEE ME AS
WELL, I WANT TO READ A QUOTE
FROM GOVERNOR NEWSOM THAT I
SHARED WITH THE COMMITTEE. HE
SAID, IN 2021, I'VE MADE IT
CLEAR I DON'T SEE A ROLE FOR
FRACKING IN THAT FUTURE AND
SIMILARLY BELIEVE THAT
CALIFORNIA NEEDS TO MOVE BEYOND
OIL. HIS INTENTIONS WITH THIS
LEGISLATION ARE OBVIOUS. THIS IS
THE FIRST STEP TO MOVE US AWAY
FROM OIL. IF HE GETS HIS WAY
OVER TIME, STARTING WITH THIS
BILL, WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE
AND MORE OIL COME FROM ABROAD.
THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO
DECREASE PRICES. AND NO MATTER
WHAT YOU DO HERE, THE GOVERNOR'S
ADMINISTRATION IS ALREADY MOVING
FORWARD WITH TWO REGULATIONS
THAT WILL INCREASE THE COST OF
GASOLINE AND ONE OF THEM IN
COMMITTEE. IT WAS KIND OF
INTERESTING. I ASKED THE AIR
RESOURCES BOARD, WHICH, BY THE
WAY, TOOK OVER FOUR MONTHS, TO
RESPOND TO A LETTER FROM ME AND
SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, BUT THEY
GOT IT FIVE DAYS AFTER I ASKED
THEM WHERE THE LETTER WAS. BY
THE WAY, I ASKED THEM HOW MUCH
THE LOW CARBON FUEL STANDARD
ADDS TO GASOLINE RIGHT NOW, AND
THEY SAID 8 TO $0.10 PER GALLON,
AND THEY'RE REDOING THAT AGAIN.
AND THEIR INITIAL ESTIMATE SAID
$0.47 A GALLON. NOW THEY WALKED
THAT BACK AS SOON AS THEY COULD.
I'M SURE THEY GOT A CALL FROM
THE HORSESHOE AND SAID, YOU CAN
WALK THAT BACK. BUT WE KNOW FOR
SURE THE LOW CARBON FUEL
STANDARD IS GOING TO INCREASE
PRICES. WE KNOW CAP AND TRADE IS
GOING TO INCREASE PRICES. WE MY
CONSTITUENTS, CAN'T AFFORD THE
POLICIES OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE
LEGISLATURE. INSTEAD WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO DO HERE TODAY AND BY WE
I MEAN NOT ME, BUT WHAT THIS
BODY IS GOING TO DO IS EXACTLY
WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS TELLING
THEM TO DO, WHICH IS PASS A
MEASURE THAT HAS SHOWN NOTHING
TO ACTUALLY DECREASE THE PRICE
OF GASOLINE. AND WE ALSO KEEP
HEARING ABOUT THE PROFITS OF OIL
REFINERIES. THIS LEGISLATURE
ACTUALLY MANDATED THAT THEY HAVE
TO REPORT THAT INFORMATION TO
THE ENERGY COMMISSION. AND SO
THIS IS ON A WEBSITE THAT
EVERYBODY HERE CAN SEE DIRECTLY
FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
THERE ARE MANY MONTHS PER YEAR
WHERE REFINERIES ARE ACTUALLY
LOSING MONEY. WELL, LOOK, I'M
NOT GOING TO CRY ABOUT THE
PROFITS OF REFINERIES, BUT WHAT
WOULD MAKE ME SAD IS IF WE ADD
MORE NEGATIVE MONTHS OF PROFITS
TO THE REFINERIES, THAT THEY
ACTUALLY LEAVE THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, AND THEN WE GET MORE
OIL FROM ABROAD, AND THEN PRICES
AREN'T GOING TO GO DOWN AND
THERE'S GOING TO BE A BREAKING
POINT. THESE ARE PRIVATE
INDUSTRIES. THERE ARE THERE'S
GOING TO BE A BREAKING POINT
WHERE THEY SAY, I NO LONGER WANT
TO OPERATE IN CALIFORNIA. SO
WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS
WE'RE PASSING SOMETHING THAT THE
GOVERNOR HAS TOLD THIS BODY TO
DO. AND WHEN THAT PASSES, IT'S
GOING TO INSTITUTE A PUC STYLE
REGULATORY SCHEME ON THE OIL
INDUSTRY. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT
KIND OF CALLS YOU GET IN YOUR
OFFICE. BUT ONE OF THE CALLS
THAT I GET IN MY OFFICE ON A
REGULAR BASIS IS HOW EXPENSIVE
UTILITIES ARE. AND IF THE PUC
DOES THE SAME, WHAT THE PUC DOES
TO THE UTILITIES AND JACKING UP
THE RATES TO INSTITUTE POLICIES
OF THIS BODY BY THE WAY, THE
CLEAN AIR POLICIES, ALL THOSE
SORTS OF THINGS. AGAIN, MY
CONSTITUENTS CAN'T AFFORD THAT.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE WEALTHY
DISTRICTS IN THIS STATE, BUT MY
DISTRICT CAN'T AFFORD IT, CAN'T
AFFORD THE UTILITY RATES THAT
ARE AS A RESULT OF POLICIES
COMING OUT OF THIS BODY. AND
THEY ALSO WILL NOT BE ABLE TO
AFFORD THE GAS PRICES THAT ARE A
RESULT FROM THIS POLICY THAT IS
SOON GOING TO BE VOTED ON. WITH
THAT, I ASK FOR A NO VOTE. THANK
YOU, MR. PATTERSON. MR.
JONES-SAWYER, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED,
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER, YOU KNOW,
I WON'T BE HERE AS IF THIS
MEASURE PASSES AND WE NEED TO
MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, TO MOVE
FORWARD. AND I'VE ALWAYS
BELIEVED THAT THIS BODY NEEDS TO
GET THE MOST INFORMATION TO MAKE
AN INFORMED DECISION. AND I WANT
TO THANK INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE
GOTTEN THE INFORMATION,
ESPECIALLY SINCE OVER THE
WEEKEND, I WENT TO GO VISIT MY
SON IN DENVER, COLORADO, AND HIS
MOTHER AND I WERE LIKE TWO OLD
PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THE GAS
PRICES IN DENVER, WHERE IT'S
$2.99 A GALLON. WHILE IN SOUTH
CENTRAL LOS ANGELES, WHERE I
LIVE, IT'S $5 AND $0.65 A
GALLON. LET'S JUST KEEP IT VERY
SIMPLE. AND WHEN I ASKED, WHAT
IS THE DELTA? WHAT IS THE
DIFFERENCE? WHAT IS GOING ON, I
WAS A LITTLE DISMAYED THAT THE
FIRST ANSWER I GOT WAS THAT THE
C, E, C CAN GET BACK TO ME, BUT
IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED FORMULA,
AND IT'S VERY COMPLICATED TO GET
TO THE ANSWER. AT FIRST I WASN'T
SURE IF THAT WAS A COMMENT ON ME
AND MY INTELLIGENCE, OR A
COMMENT ON YOU AND NOT
UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS GOING ON,
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY SIMPLE
TO FIND OUT. EVEN WHEN YOU DO A
COST OF INFLATION, A CALCULUS, A
FIVE STEP CALCULUS, WHICH I DID
LOOK, I'M PROBABLY ONE OF THE
FEW IN THIS ROOM THAT REMEMBER
WHEN YOU COULD BUY GAS AT $0.25
A GALLON AND YOU GET ALL YOUR
BUDDIES TO PUT IN ONE OF THE FEW
TO REMEMBER WHEN YOU COULDN'T
PAY $10 A GALLON TO BUY GAS
DURING THE JIMMY CARTER DAYS. SO
AS I LOOK THROUGH ALL THE
DIFFERENT SPIKES WARS,
RECESSIONS, ALL OF THE THINGS
THAT INTERNATIONALLY PLAYED
HAVOC ON OUR GAS PRICES, THERE
WAS SOMETHING THERE. EVEN IF YOU
DO A COST OF INFLATION COMPARED
TO 1974 TO 2024, IT'S $0.25 A
GALLON TO ABOUT $3.25 TO 350. SO
WHEN I LOOK AT DENVER AT $3,
MAKE IT EASY. AND WHAT I GOT
FROM THE INDUSTRY THAT OUR TAXES
MAY BE ABOUT $1.38 IF I'M DOING
SIMPLE MATH, EVEN IF I TAKE THAT
NUMBER HIGHER AND SAY IT'S $1.50
PLUS THREE, THAT'S 450. WHERE IS
THAT OTHER DOLLAR THAT MY PEOPLE
ARE PAYING FOR IN SOUTH LOS
ANGELES? AND WHO'S GOING TO FIND
OUT WHAT THAT IS AND WHY IS
THAT? ARE WE CALLING THAT A
SPIKE? ARE WE CALLING THAT WHAT
WHAT ARE WE CALLING THAT AND
WHAT IS IT? WHERE DOES THAT
MONEY GO? IS IT COMING BACK TO
OUR COFFERS? NO, BECAUSE WE
ALREADY SAID THAT'S EMBEDDED IN
THE PRICE. SO THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN
CONFUSING TO ME AND WHY IT'S
BEEN SO HARD FOR ME TO, TO MAKE
A DECISION ABOUT WHERE TO GO,
BECAUSE I NEED TO KNOW THAT ONCE
I LEAVE THIS CHAMBER, THAT WE
DON'T ASK FOR REPORTS. AND I'VE
BEEN HERE FOR 12 YEARS WHERE YOU
ASK FOR A REPORT AND SOMETIMES
YOU GET IT, SOMETIMES A LITTLE
MORE TIME, AND SOMETIMES THEY
JUST BLOW YOU OFF AS A BODY AND
THEY DON'T RESPECT YOU. AND
BRING IT BACK TO YOU. AND SO I'M
HOPING THAT IN THIS LEGISLATION
AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO
HAVE, THE TEETH TO ENSURE THAT
PEOPLE IN SOUTH LOS ANGELES WILL
BE PROTECTED AND THAT PEOPLE
WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING
TODAY MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN
PEOPLE'S LIVES. BUT MOST
IMPORTANT, THERE'S TRANSPARENCY.
I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY,
EVERYBODY WANTS TRANSPARENCY,
AND I THINK IT WILL WORK FOR
BOTH SIDES. IF WE HAVE
TRANSPARENCY AND THEN YOU CAN
MAKE AN INTELLIGENT DECISION ON
HOW TO MOVE FORWARD, ON HOW TO
I'M GOING TO USE THAT NASTY
WORD, REGULATE THIS INDUSTRY SO
THAT EVERYBODY CAN TAKE CARE OF
THEIR CONSTITUENTS IN A WAY THAT
WE DON'T LOOK BACK AND FIND OUT
THESE SPIKES GET EVEN WORSE, BUT
HOPEFULLY IT GETS BETTER SO THAT
EVERYONE'S LIVES BECOMES BETTER.
AND THEY'RE NOT SPENDING ALL
THEIR MONEY OR ALL THEIR SAVINGS
OR ALL OF THEIR INCOME, INTO
INTO GAS PRICES. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. MR. JONES-SAWYER.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER COTTIE
PETRIE-NORRIS. YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
MEMBERS, I RISE TODAY IN SUPPORT
OF AB ONE. I WAS PROUD TO SERVE
AS THE CHAIR OF THE SPECIAL
SESSION COMMITTEE ON PETROLEUM
SUPPLY, AND I WANTED TO SHARE A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE LEARNED
THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE
LAST MONTH OF HEARINGS THAT
WE'VE HAD AS PART OF THIS
SPECIAL SESSION. SO WE CONVENED
THIS SPECIAL SESSION REALLY AS
AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO A COUPLE OF
THINGS. NUMBER ONE, THOROUGHLY
VET THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL.
NUMBER TWO, BUILD ON THAT AND
IMPROVE ON THE GOVERNOR'S
PROPOSAL. AND THEN NUMBER THREE,
IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO IMPROVE
MARKET LIQUIDITY TO COMBAT
SUPPLY SHORTAGES AND ULTIMATELY,
ULTIMATELY TO SAVE OUR
CONSTITUENTS MONEY. AND SO I
WANT TO THANK THE SPEAKER FOR,
HIS LEADERSHIP, AND I WANT TO
THANK EVERYONE WHO SERVED AS
PART OF THIS COMMITTEE. I WANT
TO TOUCH, I THINK, ON, ON A
COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE COME
UP. AND THE ONE ISSUE I THINK
THAT KEEPS COMING UP IS THE
ARGUMENT OF THE OPPOSITION THAT
THIS IS GOING TO RAISE PRICES,
AND CERTAINLY FOR EVERYBODY
HERE, WHETHER YOU'RE FROM THE
NORTH OR THE SOUTH, WHETHER
YOU'RE A DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN.
MY GOD, THE LAST THING THAT WE
WANT TO DO IS ANYTHING THAT'S
GOING TO RAISE PRICES FOR OUR
CONSTITUENTS. AND SO I THINK A
LOT OF US WENT INTO THESE
HEARINGS WITH KIND OF A HEALTHY
DEGREE OF SKEPTICISM. AND I
THINK REALLY MINDFUL OF
POTENTIAL UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES. AND WE SAID TO THE
AGENCIES, WE SAID TO THE CEC,
SHOW US THE MATH, SHOW US THE
MATH, MAKE THE CASE, AND YOU
WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING. IN THE
COURSE OF THE I THINK IT WAS 16
HOURS OF HEARINGS THAT WE HAD,
THEY MADE AN INCREDIBLY
COMPELLING, VERY DETAILED, DATA
DRIVEN CASE FOR ALL OF US AND
FOR ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS. SO
WHAT THEY LAID OUT IS THAT THE
STATUS QUO, THE STATUS QUO,
THESE PRICE SPIKES TODAY ARE
COSTING CALIFORNIANS $2 BILLION
A YEAR. THIS PROPOSAL, BY
CONTRAST, AGAIN BY THEIR
ANALYSIS, WOULD COST $50 MILLION
A YEAR, MEANING WE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE.
CALIFORNIANS $1.95 BILLION. BUT
WE DIDN'T STOP THERE. WE SAID,
OKAY, LET'S LET'S GIVE THE
OPPOSITION A CHANCE AND AN
OPPORTUNITY TO REFUTE THAT.
LET'S HAVE THEM SHOW US THEIR
MATH. LET'S HAVE THEM EXPLAIN
WHY THAT CALCULATION IS WRONG.
WE INVITED THEM TO PARTICIPATE
IN THE HEARINGS. THEY
PARTICIPATED INDUSTRY
PARTICIPATED IN FOUR DIFFERENT
PANELS. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? NEVER
ONCE, NOT ONCE WERE THEY ABLE TO
PRESENT A CASE TO ACTUALLY REBUT
THAT ANALYSIS AND TO ACTUALLY
EXPLAIN WHY, OH NO, IT'S WRONG.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SAVE $1.95
BILLION. YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING
TO RAISE PRICES. AND I SAID TO
THEM IN THE COURSE OF THE
HEARINGS, I SAID, IF THESE
ASSUMPTIONS ARE WRONG, MY GOD,
AS WE GO THROUGH THE RULEMAKING
PROCESS, YOU'D BETTER DO A MUCH
BETTER JOB OF HELPING US
UNDERSTAND THAT, NOT JUST FOR
THE COMPANIES THAT YOU REPRESENT,
BUT FOR ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.
SO IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY
ARGUMENT THAT REBUTS THE CASE
THAT HAS BEEN MADE AS PART OF
OUR HEARINGS, I BELIEVE THAT WE
HAVE A PROPOSAL BEFORE US THAT
IS GOING TO SAVE CALIFORNIANS
$1.95 BILLION. AND SO THAT'S WHY
I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS BILL
TODAY. AND RESPECTFULLY URGE
YOUR AYE VOTE TODAY ON AB ONE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER PETRIE-NORRIS. MR.
GALLAGHER, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
YES. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. AND
MEMBERS, FIRST OF ALL, WHY ARE
WE HERE? WHY DID WE ALL COME
BACK HERE TAKING VALUABLE TIME,
TAKING TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO COME
CONGREGATE HERE AGAIN? IF WE
DIDN'T COME HERE TO ACTUALLY
LOWER CONSUMERS GAS PRICES, THEN
WHY ARE WE HERE? AND WHAT I'M
HEARING IS THAT ALL WE'RE REALLY
CONSIDERING IS THIS PROPOSAL
FROM THE GOVERNOR THAT DOESN'T
LOWER GAS PRICES AT BEST. IN
THEORY, IT WILL STOP GAS PRICE
SPIKES. BUT THE PEOPLE THAT I
HEAR FROM AND THAT I'M SURE YOU
HEAR FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS,
THINK THAT THE PRICE OF GAS IS
TOO HIGH RIGHT NOW. AND I THINK
THEY WANT TO KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU
DOING TO ACTUALLY LOWER THE
PRICE RIGHT NOW? AND ISN'T IT
STRANGE THAT WE HAVE THIS BIG
SPECIAL SESSION? WE ALL COME
BACK AND THERE'S NOT ONE BILL
THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING THAT
ACTUALLY LOWERS THE PRICE OF
GAS. NOW WE AS REPUBLICANS HAD
SIX BILLS. ALL OF THEM WOULD
HAVE. ONLY ONE OF THEM GOT A
HEARING. AND I WAS TOLD, WELL,
YOU GOT TO TAKE ALL THESE
AMENDMENTS THAT STRIP OUT THE
SAVINGS. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING
HERE? THAT'S THE PROBLEM. THE
PROBLEM WITH THIS BILL. FIRST OF
ALL, IS IT DOESN'T LOWER GAS
PRICES. AND PEOPLE DESPERATELY
NEED THAT RIGHT NOW. THAT'S THE
FIRST PROBLEM. BUT LET'S TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MERITS OF
THIS BILL. THIS IS REALLY BAD
POLICY. AND I'LL CITE THE WAYS,
YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUE SAYS THAT
THIS IS GOING TO SAVE US A BUNCH
OF MONEY AT $1.6 BILLION OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WHO SAID
THAT? WHO TOLD YOU THAT? THAT'S
THE CASE. GOVERNMENT
BUREAUCRATS. WERE THOSE THE SAME
PEOPLE WHO TOLD US THAT, YOU
KNOW, THE ANNEX PROJECT WAS
GOING TO ONLY COST $440 MILLION,
AND NOW IT'S 1.2 BILLION. WERE
THOSE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT TOLD
US THAT THE HIGH SPEED RAIL WAS
GOING TO BE A $4 BILLION
PROJECT? THAT'S. WHO TOLD YOU
THAT THIS IDEA SAVES MONEY?
GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRATS, THIS
WHOLE IDEA THAT WE HAD ALL THESE
STAKEHOLDERS HERE, ALL THESE
REALLY SMART PEOPLE, WE HAD THE
OIL INDUSTRY THERE AND WE HAD
THE, YOU KNOW, THE ACADEMICS AND
THE GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRATS WHO
ARE TELLING US OUR ANALYSIS IS
REALLY GOOD. IT'S GOING TO SAVE
EVERYBODY MONEY. I'VE HEARD THAT
BEFORE. YOU KNOW, WHO WASN'T
THERE? THE CALIFORNIA CONSUMER,
THE ONE WHO HAS TO PAY THE BILL.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE
PROCESS, IS WE HEAR FROM ALL
THESE PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY KNOW
BETTER. BUT GUESS WHAT? GAS
PRICES HAVEN'T GOTTEN LOWER
SINCE WE HAD THE LAST SPECIAL
SESSION. THEY JUST KEEP GOING
UP. THIS BILL PUTS WORKERS AT
RISK, AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
SAYING THAT ARE THE WORKERS. THE
WORKERS ARE SAYING THAT THE
PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THOSE
REFINERIES ARE SAYING, DON'T
PASS THIS BILL. THE LANGUAGE IS
NOT RIGHT. SO THE GENTLEMAN, YOU
KNOW, FROM RANCHO PALOS VERDES,
THE LANGUAGE YOU'RE VOTING ON
TODAY DOESN'T PROTECT WORKERS.
AND THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE
WORKERS. SO IF YOU WANT TO VOTE
ON THIS BILL TODAY, YOU'RE
VOTING FOR BAD POLICY FOR
WORKERS. IT ACTUALLY PROHIBITS
THE BUILDING OF ANY NEW STORAGE,
WHICH IS COUNTERINTUITIVE,
BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY TO GET MORE
OF A GAS RESERVE IS TO BUILD NEW
STORAGE. BUT THIS BILL ACTUALLY
PROHIBITS IT. IT'S CRAZY. AND AT
THE SAME TIME THAT THE GOVERNOR,
HE'S THE ONE WHO CALLED US ALL
BACK HERE, RIGHT? WHERE IS HE,
BY THE WAY? IS HE HERE? NO, HE'S
OUT OF THE COUNTRY, RIGHT. BUT
HE CALLED US ALL BACK HERE
BECAUSE IT WAS SO IMPORTANT. AND
THIS SAME GOVERNOR WHO WAS
CALLING EVERYBODY OUT AND SAYING
THE OIL COMPANIES ARE GOUGING US
AT THE SAME TIME, HE WAS SAYING
THAT OIL COMPANIES AND
REFINERIES ARE GOUGING US. THOSE
OIL REFINERIES WERE LOSING
MONEY. AND THAT'S ACCORDING TO
THE DATA THAT YOU GUYS ALL
REQUIRED WITH SB ONE, TWO, SB
ONE, TWO ACTS. THAT DATA HAS
BEEN PUBLISHED MONTHLY. AND
DURING THAT TIME, REFINERIES
WERE LOSING MONEY, NOT NOT. THEY
WERE NOT GETTING PROFIT. THEY
WERE LOSING MONEY. THAT'S THE
FACTS. THE TRUTH IS, THE
GOVERNMENT IS THE ONE THAT'S
GOUGING US BECAUSE WE PAY $1.28
A GALLON EVERY GALLON OF GAS.
THAT'S GOVERNMENT TAXES AND
REGULATION. THOSE ARE THE FACTS.
AND IT'S GOING UP BECAUSE LOW
CARBON FUEL STANDARD IS ABOUT TO
GO UP AND RAISE OUR GAS PRICES
ANOTHER $0.50 A GALLON. WHERE'S
THE BILL THAT'S GOING TO STOP
THAT? IT'S NOT HERE. YOU'RE NOT
LOOKING OUT FOR THE CONSUMERS.
NOT AT ALL. AND ABOUT PROCESS
THE LANGUAGE OF THIS BILL WAS
ONLY AVAILABLE TO THE COMMITTEE
THE MORNING OF THE HEARING.
LEGISLATORS LITERALLY HAD HOURS
TO REVIEW THE LANGUAGE. AND THEN
DURING THE HEARING, ALL THESE
CONCERNS WERE BROUGHT UP ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE AISLE ABOUT
PROBLEMS. AND THEY WEREN'T
RESOLVED. THAT'S NOT A PROCESS,
AND THERE'S STILL A LOT OF
THINGS THAT NEED TO BE
ADDRESSED. ARE WE GOING TO DO
AMENDMENTS IF WE'RE GOING TO DO
AMENDMENTS, WE GOT TO COME BACK
HERE. ARE WE IS THIS OUR LAST
DAY? ARE WE COMING BACK HERE
AGAIN? BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THIS
IS THE DAY. THIS IS THE FINAL
LANGUAGE. SO SOMEBODY PLEASE
TELL US, ARE WE COMING BACK HERE?
IS THE GOVERNOR COMING BACK
HERE? BECAUSE IF HE DOESN'T
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE HERE
TODAY TO VOTE AND TO FOCUS ON
THIS LEGISLATION, WHY ARE YOU ON
SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T ACTUALLY
HELP YOUR CONSTITUENTS? THAT'S
THE QUESTION YOU SHOULD BE
ASKING YOURSELF. PLEASE VOTE NO.
THANK YOU, MR. GALLAGHER.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER DIXON, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU. I WASN'T
INTENDING TO SPEAK, BUT I
COULDN'T HELP SHARE WITH YOU
TODAY AND AN EDITORIAL IN
TODAY'S WALL STREET JOURNAL. LET
ME JUST READ A COUPLE
PARAGRAPHS. JIMMY CARTER, WHO
TURNS 100 TODAY, OCTOBER FIRST,
DOES NOT GET ENOUGH CREDIT FOR
THE QUARTER CENTURY ECONOMIC
BOOM FROM 1983 TO 2008, AND THE
UNDERLYING RESILIENCE OF THE
ECONOMY SINCE THAT YEAR. WITHOUT
MR. CARTER'S DEREGULATION OF
AIRLINES, TRUCKING, RAILROADS,
ENERGY AND COMMUNICATIONS,
AMERICA MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD THE
ABILITY TO DIVERSIFY ITS ECONOMY
AND LEAD THE WORLD IN HIGH TECH
DEVELOPMENT. WHEN OUR POSTWAR
DOMINATION OF MANUFACTURING
ENDED IN THE LATE 1970S, THE
CARTER DEREGULATION HELPED FUEL
THE ECONOMIC RENAISSANCE AND
CONTINUES TO MAKE POSSIBLE THE
POWERFUL INNOVATIONS THAT REMAKE
OUR WORLD. THE AIRLINE
DEREGULATION ACT OF 1978, THE
MOTOR CARRIER ACT OF 1980, AND
THE STAGGERS RAIL ACT OF 1980.
UNLEASHED COMPETITION AND
SPAWNED THE INVENTION AND
INNOVATION THAT GAVE AMERICA THE
WORLD'S MOST EFFICIENT
TRANSPORTATION AND DISTRIBUTION
SYSTEM. THE COST OF FLYING A
MILE DECLINED BY HALF, AND AIR
TRAVEL BECAME A MAINSTAY OF
AMERICAN LIFE. THE LOGISTICAL
COST OF MOVING GOODS SHRANK AS A
SHARE OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
BY 50%. THE REDUCTION OF
LOGISTICS AND THAT COSTS IN THE
LATE 20TH CENTURY WAS PROFOUND.
THE CARTER ADMINISTRATION BEGAN
OIL PRICE DEREGULATION USING ITS
REGULATORY POWERS, AND SET IN
PLACE THE GRADUAL DEREGULATION
OF NATURAL GAS PRICES, WHICH,
WITH THE 1978 NATURAL GAS POLICY
ACT AND WHILE THE DEREGULATION
OF THE COMMUNICATION INDUSTRY
WAS DRIVEN BY TECHNOLOGICAL
TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE, COURT
DECISIONS, REGULATORY ACTION AND
FINALLY LEGISLATION, THE CARTER
REGULATORY REFORM MADE
COMPETITION THE DRIVING FORCE IN
THE DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC
RESURGENCE OF AMERICA. SO, IN
CONCLUSION, TO ALL OF OUR
COMMENTS TODAY, AND AS OUR
LEADER JUST SAID, WHAT ARE WE
TRYING TO DO IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, DRIVING OUT THE
ENERGY PRODUCERS THAT PRODUCE
JOBS, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
MIDDLE CLASS WAGE JOBS IN
CALIFORNIA, AND AS MY COLLEAGUE
MR. PATTERSON SAID, IT IS THE
GOVERNOR WE KNOW HE SAID IT
PUBLICLY, TRYING TO DESTROY THIS
INDUSTRY. ALREADY, ONE MAJOR
CORPORATION, CHEVRON, 180 YEAR
OLD ECONOMIC PRODUCER IN
CALIFORNIA, HAS IS DECAMPING TO
THE STATE OF TEXAS. ARE WHAT ARE
WE REALLY TRYING TO DO? TAKE A
TWEAK HERE, A REGULATION THERE,
AND DESTROY THIS INDUSTRY AND
THESE JOBS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED
TO THE GROWTH AND ECONOMIC
VITALITY OF CALIFORNIA. WE'VE
HAD TWO IMPORTANT HEARINGS, TWO
DAYS OF HEARINGS AND ABOUT A TWO
HOUR, AN HOUR OF DISCUSSION
TODAY. AND WE ARE GOING TO
CHANGE THE ECONOMIC FOUNDATION
OF THIS STATE. IS THIS REALLY
WHAT WE WANT TO DO? AND I
APPRECIATE THIS EDITORIAL TODAY.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO READ IT. IT'S
ON THE OP ED SIDE OF THE WALL
STREET JOURNAL. AND I THINK WE
SHOULD ALL TAKE TAKE IT TO
HEART. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER DIXON,
SEEING AND HEARING NO FURTHER
DEBATE, MR. HART, WOULD YOU LIKE
TO CLOSE? THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. I ALSO WANT TO THANK
OUR SPEAKER FOR CONVENING THIS
SPECIAL SESSION TO PROTECT
CONSUMERS FROM BEING PRICE
GOUGED AT THE PUMP. WE'RE DOING
REALLY IMPORTANT. AND MEANINGFUL
WORK TODAY TO PROTECT OUR
CONSTITUENTS. MY COLLEAGUE FROM
BALDWIN PARK STATED THAT
CALIFORNIANS FACE RISING COSTS.
THAT'S EXACTLY THE POINT. WHEN
THERE'S A SCARCITY OF FUEL
SUPPLY IN THE MARKET, CONSUMERS
PAY AT THE PUMP FOR WEEKS AT A
TIME. WE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS
PROBLEM, OR CALIFORNIANS STAND
TO LOSE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
ANNUALLY. WE CANNOT CONTINUE
WITH THE STATUS QUO. I ALSO WANT
TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE
CONCERNS OUR COLLEAGUE FROM
TORRANCE RAISED ABOUT WORKER
SAFETY. THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF
OUR WORKFORCE IS PARAMOUNT. THIS
BILL DOES NOT TRADE OFF WORKER
SAFETY FOR CONSUMER PROTECTIONS.
CURRENT LAW ALREADY REQUIRES THE
CEC TO CONSULT WITH LABOR AND
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY AND
LABOR INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS TO
PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF
EMPLOYEES AND THE PUBLIC. AB ONE
DOES NOT PROHIBIT A REFINERY
FROM CONDUCTING IMPORTANT
MAINTENANCE. IT HOLDS REFINERIES
ACCOUNTABLE TO RESPONSIBLE
PLANNING AHEAD OF MAINTENANCE
EVENTS. REFINERS CAN AND SHOULD
PERFORM THE MAINTENANCE THEY
NEED TO DO TO KEEP THEIR
FACILITIES AND THE COMMUNITIES
AND THE WORKERS IN THEIR SITES
SAFE. AB ONE REQUIRES THAT WHEN
PETROLEUM REFINERS CONDUCT LONG
PLANNED MAINTENANCE MONTHS OR
YEARS IN ADVANCE, THEY COME UP
WITH RESUPPLY PLANS TO AVOID
SHORTING THE CALIFORNIA MARKET.
AB ONE DOES NOT PROHIBIT A
REFINERY FROM CONDUCTING
IMPORTANT MAINTENANCE.
COLLEAGUES, I HEAR YOUR CONCERNS
ABOUT THIS LEGISLATION, AND I
COMMIT TO REFINING THIS POLICY
IN THE SENATE. I'LL CONTINUE TO
WORK DILIGENTLY WITH OUR SENATE
COLLEAGUES TO IMPROVE THIS
LEGISLATION. I'D LIKE TO THANK
MY COAUTHORS AND THE PETROLEUM
AND GASOLINE SUPPLY COMMITTEE
AND ITS OUTSTANDING CHAIR FOR
YOUR HARD WORK ON VETTING THIS
PROPOSAL. AB ONE IS AN
IMPROVEMENT WITH GUIDELINES IN
PLACE DIRECTING THE CEC TO SAVE
CALIFORNIA'S MONEY AT THE PUMP.
AS A REMINDER, WE'RE NOT VOTING
ON THE REGULATIONS TODAY, BUT A
MANDATE THAT REFINERS HAVE A
BACKUP PLAN IN PLACE AND
APPROVING A REGULATORY PROCESS
THAT MEETS THE COST
EFFECTIVENESS TEST, SAVING
CONSUMERS MONEY. AS WE CONTINUE
TO WORK ON MEETING OUR CLIMATE
GOALS AND TRANSITIONING TO A
CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY, GASOLINE
IS STILL NEEDED TO FUEL CARS
THAT HAVE INTERNAL COMBUSTION
ENGINES. AB ONE IS SUPPORTED BY
SEIU, UFCW, W, CALIFORNIA NURSES
ASSOCIATION, LOCAL GOVERNMENT
LEADERS ACROSS THE STATE,
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING
COMMUNITIES FOR A BETTER
ENVIRONMENT AND THE UNION OF
CONCERNED SCIENTISTS AND
CONSUMER RIGHTS STAKEHOLDERS. I
RESPECTFULLY URGE AN I VOTE ON
AB AB ONE. THANK YOU, MR. HART.
AND WITH THAT, THE CLERK WILL
OPEN THE ROLL CALL. THOSE VOTE
WHO DESIRE TO VOTE, ALL THOSE
VÚI WHO DESIRE TO VOTE. ALL
THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE.
THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL
AND TALLY THE VOTES. AYES 44. NØ
17. MEASURE PASSES. MOVING NOW
TO ASSEMBLY BILL NINE BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER PETRI NORRIS
WITHOUT REFERENCE TO FILE. THE
CLERK WILL READ. ASSEMBLY BILL
NINE BY SENATOR PETRIE-NORRIS AN
ATLANTA ENERGY, AND DECLARING
THE URGENCY THEREOF TO TAKE
EFFECT IMMEDIATELY. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER PETRIE-NORRIS YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER. SO, AS I SAID
IN MY PREVIOUS REMARKS, I LOOKED
AT THE SPECIAL SESSION, NOT JUST
AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO
THOROUGHLY VET THE PROPOSAL
AROUND A STRATEGIC FUEL RESERVE.
IT WAS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY, I
THINK, REALLY FOR ALL OF US TO
BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES
THAT WE FACE AS POLICYMAKERS, AS
WE NAVIGATE CALIFORNIA'S
TRANSPORTATION FUELS TRANSITION,
AND TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL
POLICY OPTIONS THAT WILL IMPROVE
MARKET LIQUIDITY, ADDRESS SUPPLY
SHORTFALLS, AND ULTIMATELY HELP
US LOWER PRICES. SO IN THE SEX,
ACTUALLY QUITE EXCELLENT
TRANSPORTATION FUELS ASSESSMENT,
THEY EXPLORE A NUMBER OF POLICY
OPTIONS TO DO JUST THAT. AND
WHAT AB NINE WILL DO IS REALLY
BUILD ON THAT WORK AS WELL AS
BUILD ON THE WORK THAT WE DID AS
PART OF OUR INFORMATIONAL
HEARINGS. SO THERE'S TWO
ELEMENTS TO THIS BILL. NUMBER
ONE, WE ARE DIRECTING CARB TO
COMPLETE AN ANALYSIS OF ETHANOL
15, WHICH IS A FUEL BLEND THAT
IS UTILIZED IN 48 OTHER STATES.
WE WANT THEM TO COMPLETE THEIR
ANALYSIS OF THAT TO DETERMINE
WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS A PRODUCT
THAT CAN BE UTILIZED HERE IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. AND WHILE
THIS BILL DOES NOT DRAW ANY
CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THAT, I REALLY
THINK THAT THERE'S TREMENDOUS
POSSIBILITY THERE. THERE ARE
ESTIMATES THAT E15 COULD SAVE
CALIFORNIANS AS MUCH AS $3
BILLION AT THE PUMP ON AN ANNUAL
BASIS, AND INITIAL ANALYSIS BY
CARB SUGGESTS THAT THE
ENVIRONMENTAL HARMS OF E15 ARE
ACTUALLY LOWER, LOWER THAN OUR
CURRENT BLEND OF E10. SO THERE'S
CERTAINLY MORE WORK TO BE DONE
THERE. WE WANT CARB TO FINISH
THAT WORK SO THAT WE CAN
PROMULGATE REGULATIONS AND BEGIN
TO SAVE CALIFORNIANS MONEY AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THE SECOND
PIECE OF THIS BILL LOOKS AT FOUR
ADDITIONAL POLICY OPTIONS. AGAIN
THAT WOULD EXPAND CALIFORNIA'S
FUEL SUPPLY. AND IN THE
TRANSPORTATION FUELS ASSESSMENT,
THE CEC DID SORT OF A CURSORY
ANALYSIS OF THESE POLICY
OPTIONS. WE WANT THEM TO FINISH
WHAT THEY'VE IDENTIFIED AS THE
ADDITIONAL WORK AND ANALYSIS
REQUIRED, AND REPORT BACK TO US
JULY OF 2025. WE WANT TO GET
THAT STUDY COMPLETED AS QUICKLY
AS POSSIBLE, WHICH IS WHY THIS
BILL HAS AN URGENCY. AND I WAS
GRATEFUL TO RECEIVE UNANIMOUS
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR THIS
PROPOSAL IN COMMITTEE. AND
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR VOTE
TODAY ON AB NINE. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER PETRIE-NORRIS
ASSEMBLYMEMBER JIM PATTERSON,
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU.
SPEAKER MEMBERS, I JOIN IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF WHAT THE CHAIR
OF OUR PETROLEUM COMMITTEE IS
PUTTING FORWARD HERE. THE E 15
HAS LOTS OF PROMISE. I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE CARB A
GENTLE, ENCOURAGEMENT. AND I
ALSO THINK THAT IT'S BEEN
THOUGHTFULLY PUT TOGETHER, I
VOTED FOR IT IN THE COMMITTEE. I
THINK IT WENT UNANIMOUS. I THINK
EVERYBODY VOTED FOR IT, TO MY
REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES, I'M GOING
TO ASK YOU TO JOIN WITH ME IN
SUPPORTING THIS, OUR CAUCUS HAS
A NUN RECOMMENDATION ON THIS.
BUT E 15 IS A GOOD THING. I
THINK A LOT OF CALIFORNIANS. AND
I'M ONE OF THEM. TIRED OF
DRIVING UP TO OUR LOCAL GAS
STATIONS AND NOT BEING ABLE TO
USE E 15. BUT I THINK THIS IS A
GREAT STEP FORWARD. I SUPPORT IT,
I THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP FOR
THE REASONS THAT THE CHAIR
MENTIONED. AND SO I'M ASKING
THAT WE JOIN TOGETHER, AND I
HOPE THIS GETS MORE THAN THE 54.
I HOPE IT GETS UNANIMOUS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MR. PATTERSON.
MR. FLORA, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. I RISE
IN SUPPORT OF THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION AS WELL. I WANT TO
THANK THE AUTHOR FOR BRINGING IT
FORWARD, THIS BILL WAS SOMETHING
OR THIS IDEA WAS SOMETHING THAT
WE WORKED A GROUP OF US
BIPARTISAN, BICAMERAL,
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ALIKE
AND THE PROBLEM SOLVERS CAUCUS
SINCE REALLY FEBRUARY. AND WE
WORKED WITH THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE TO TRY TO GET THIS DONE
IN THE BUDGET. DIDN'T QUITE GET
THAT DONE, BUT WE PUT THIS
LANGUAGE IN TOGETHER WHEN WE HAD
THE SPECIAL SESSION CALLED. SO
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT BILL.
AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE
MOMENTS WHERE WE'RE NOT ALLOWING
PERFECT BE THE ENEMY OF GOOD.
AND I'VE SAID THAT MANY, MANY
TIMES, WHEN IT COMES TO CARB,
THOUGH, I DO THINK THERE IS A
LITTLE BIT OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
LIKE MY COLLEAGUE SAID, CARB HAS
ACTUALLY BEEN DEALING WITH THIS
SINCE 2019 WHEN THEY STARTED THE
STUDIES, 2022 IS WHEN THE
STUDIES WERE COMPLETE WITH ALL
THE MULTIMEDIA STUDIES, AND
THEY'VE BEEN HOLDING ON TO THAT
DRAFT REPORT. THEY HAVEN'T
RELEASED IT JUST YET. SO I DO
THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT
WE PUT A LITTLE BIT OF TEETH IN
THIS AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO MAKE
SURE THAT CARB DOES THE WILL OF
THIS BODY. AND I JUST
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR VOTE.
THANK YOU, MR. FULLER. I DO LIKE
ALL THE TALK ABOUT TEETH TODAY,
SO THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
PAPPIN YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. I'LL
TRY TO ADD TEETH INTO MY
REMARKS. MR. SPEAKER, BEAR WITH
ME. PLEASE DO SO. I RISE TODAY
IN SUPPORT OF AB NINE, AND MY
STAFF SAYS HERE, SO THAT CARB
WILL FINISH THEIR REPORT ON Â
15. THAT WAS STARTED A NUMBER OF
YEARS AGO. AS MY COLLEAGUE JUST
NOTED, IT WAS FIVE YEARS AGO.
NOT TO MENTION THAT 48 OTHER
STATES ARE USING E15. SO I CALL
THIS THE GET THE JOB DONE BILL.
AND I CAN'T SAY I MEAN, HAD THIS
REPORT BEEN COMPLETED PRIOR TO
THE MOST RECENT PRICE SPIKE, WE
MAY HAVE HAD, WE MAY HAVE NO
GUARANTEE HERE IN THIS BILL.
DOES NOT MANDATE ANY PARTICULAR
OUTCOME. BUT HAD WE HAD THE WORK
DONE, WE MIGHT HAVE HAD OTHER
TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL TO ADDRESS
THE ISSUE AT HAND. A BIG
TAKEAWAY FROM BOTH THE COMMITTEE
AND CEC TRANSPORTATION FUELS
ASSESSMENT REPORT, ALL 70 PAGES
OF IT, IS THAT THERE IS A HOST
OF POLICY OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO
US, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS
MIGHT BE E15. SO I'M GRATEFUL TO
MY COLLEAGUE FROM IRVINE FOR HER
LEADERSHIP IN INTRODUCING SUCH A
PRUDENT MEASURE AND ENSURING
THAT CARB AND THE CEC EVALUATE
ALL OF THE POLICY OPTIONS,
STABILIZING CALIFORNIA'S FUEL
SUPPLY, INCLUDING E15 AND
LOWERING PRICES FOR OUR
CONSTITUENTS. IF WE FAIL TO
PLAN, WE WILL CERTAINLY SEE
CONTINUED SUPPLY IMBALANCE AND
PRICE SPIKES. THIS BILL IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE
PROACTIVE AND TAKE ACTION ON
ANOTHER POTENTIAL OPTION, E15,
BEFORE THE NEXT CRISIS. I
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR AYE
VOTE ON THIS. LET'S GET IT DONE.
BILL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER PAPIN. SEEING
AND HEARING NO FURTHER DEBATE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE?
ASSEMBLY MEMBER PETRIE-NORRIS
JUST THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES
FOR YOUR STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT
AND ALSO FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP
AND THE WORK THAT YOU DID
SERVING ON ON OUR COMMITTEE OVER
THE COURSE OF THE PAST MONTH. I
LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO
WORK WITH ALL OF YOU. AS MY
COLLEAGUE FROM THE BAY AREA SAID
TO GET IT DONE WITH THAT, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I
VOTE, AND WITH THAT, THE CLERK
WILL OPEN THE ROLL ALL THOSE
VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE, ALL
THOSE VÚI WHO DESIRE TO VOTE.
ALL THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO
VOTE. CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL
TALLY THE VOTES. AYES 67. NÓ
ZERO. MEASURE PASSES ON THE. ON
THE. ON THE URGENCY. AYES 67.
NOES ZERO. ON THE MEASURE. THANK
YOU. MEMBERS. WE WILL NOW BE
MOVING TO ADJOURNMENTS AND
MEMORY. THE QUORUM CALL IS STILL
IN PLACE. PLEASE GIVE YOUR
RESPECTFUL ATTENTION TO THOSE
WHO HAVE BEEN GRANTED, GRANTED
PRIOR PERMISSION TO SPEAK ON AN
ADJOURNMENT IN MEMORY.
THE QUORUM CALL IS STILL IN
PLACE. SO LET ME REMEMBER,
ERWIN, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED FOR
YOUR ADJOURNMENT IN MEMORY.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. IT IS
WITH PROFOUND SADNESS THAT I
RISE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PASSING
OF THOUSAND OAKS RESIDENT THOMAS
RONALD GREGORY. TOM, AS HE WAS
KNOWN TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS,
WAS BORN IN LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY,
AND LATER ATTENDED INDIANA
UNIVERSITY AT BLOOMINGTON, WHERE
HE EARNED A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
DEGREE IN BUSINESS. AFTER
COLLEGE, TOM MOVED OUT WEST TO
CALIFORNIA, WHERE HE BEGAN HIS
PROFESSIONAL CAREER WITH THE
THREE M COMPANY. ALONG THE WAY,
TOM MET HIS WIFE, DEBBIE, AND
THE TWO OF THEM WERE HAPPILY
MARRIED FOR OVER 40 YEARS. TOM
WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE
COMMUNITY WHO SOUGHT TO IMPROVE
CONDITIONS WHEREVER HE COULD.
TOWARD THAT END, TOM SERVED ON
THE THOUSAND OAKS TRAFFIC AND
TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION FOR 13
YEARS, HAVING BEEN APPOINTED BY
FOUR DIFFERENT COUNCIL MEMBERS.
HE SERVED AS BOTH PRESIDENT AND
LANDSCAPE CHAIRMAN OF HIS
HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION. IN
ADDITION TO COACHING SEVERAL
LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAMS
OVER THE YEARS, TOM AND HIS WIFE
DEBBIE WERE VERY ACTIVE IN
VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS AND AT
ONE POINT FOUNDED A WEBSITE AS A
RESOURCE FOR VETERANS LOOKING
FOR JOBS. JOB TRAINING, OR
SUPPORT. TOM ALSO WORKED WITH
THE RONALD REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL
LIBRARY IN SUPPORT OF THE MANY
PROGRAMS THEY HOSTED FOR
VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. TOM
WORKED ALONGSIDE DEBBIE TO HELP
PRODUCE AMERICA SALUTES YOU, THE
NATIONALLY TELEVISED EVENTS THAT
PAY TRIBUTE AND RAISE AWARENESS
OF MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES
FACED BY VETERANS AND FIRST
RESPONDERS. TOM LEAVES HIS WIFE,
DEBBIE, HIS SON JASON, HIS
DAUGHTER IN LAW, AS WELL AS
THEIR TWO GRANDCHILDREN,
ISABELLA AND THOMAS. I ASK THAT
WE ADJOURN TODAY IN THE MEMORY
OF TOM GREGORY. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER IRWIN, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER LOWENTHAL, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR ADJOURNMENT
IN MEMORY. LIKE A DOG. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER. MEMBERS, TODAY
I RISE TO ADJOURN IN THE MEMORY
OF DOCTOR WILLIAM. BILL WEBER.
BILL. PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF
HISTORY AT CALIFORNIA STATE
UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH, DIED
SUDDENLY ON AUGUST 8TH IN THE
HOSPITAL IN LOS ALAMITOS,
CALIFORNIA. BORN IN RAHWAY, NEW
JERSEY IN 1940, HE GREW UP IN
LITTLETON, NEW HAMPSHIRE, WHERE
HIS FATHER WAS THE MINISTER OF
AN EPISCOPAL CHURCH. HE RECEIVED
A SCHOLARSHIP FROM THE PHILLIPS
EXETER ACADEMY, WENT ON TO
HARVARD FOR A BACHELOR'S DEGREE,
AND TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
FOR A PHD IN HISTORY IN 1968. HE
BEGAN TEACHING AT CSULB, WHERE
HE SPENT HIS ENTIRE CAREER,
ENTERING INTO A PHASED
RETIREMENT IN 2003 AND A FULL
RETIREMENT IN 2007. BILL'S
DISSERTATION RESEARCH TOOK HIM
TO AUSTRIA, ENGLAND AND FRANCE,
AND PROVIDED THE BASIS FOR HIS
FIRST BOOK, MUSIC IN THE MIDDLE
CLASS THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF
CONCERT LIFE IN LONDON, PARIS
AND VIENNA BETWEEN 1830 AND
1848. IN THE YEARS FOLLOWING,
BILL WORKED ON NUMEROUS
PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING THE
MUSICIAN AS AN ENTREPRENEUR 1700
TO 1914 MANAGERS, CHARLATANS AND
IDEALISTS, AND THE ESPECIALLY
SUCCESSFUL GREAT TRANSFORMATION
OF MUSICAL TASTE CONCERT
PROGRAMING FROM HAYDN TO BRAHMS.
IN ADDITION, BILL CONTRIBUTED
NUMEROUS ARTICLES AND ESSAYS TO
JOURNALS AND EDITED VOLUMES
PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES,
ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND GERMANY,
AND HE MADE MANY PRESENTATIONS
AT CONFERENCES ON BOTH SIDES OF
THE ATLANTIC. THROUGHOUT HIS
EXTENSIVE SCHOLARSHIP RUN, THE
THEMES OF THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC,
AND POLITICAL CONTEXTS OF
MUSICAL LIFE, AS WELL AS THE
QUESTION OF WHEN AND WHY CERTAIN
MUSICAL WORKS BECOME CLASSICS OR
CANONICAL, WHY OTHER WORKS FADED
AWAY ON TOP OF A SUBSTANTIAL
SCHOLARSHIP, BILL MAINTAINED A
LONG STANDING INTEREST IN THE
TEACHING OF HISTORY. HE OFTEN
ACCEPTED THE ASSIGNMENT OF
OBSERVING STUDENT TEACHERS IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CLASSROOMS,
AND LONG SERVED ON THE EDITORIAL
BOARD OF THE HISTORY TEACHER,
PUBLISHED AT CSULB FROM 2001 TO
2004. HE WAS THE VICE PRESIDENT
OF TEACHING DIVISION IN THE
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
HE WAS ALSO ACTIVE IN THE
AMERICAN MUSICOLOGICAL,
MUSICOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION AND
THE SOCIETY FOR FRENCH
HISTORICAL STUDIES. BILL IS
SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE, LINDA
CLARK. DAUGHTERS KATIE AND
CLAIRE, GRANDSON KNOX WILLIAM
AND SON IN LAW FRANK ARIOLA. HE
IS TRULY MISSED. MEMBERS I
RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT WE ADJOURN
IN THE MEMORY OF WILLIAM BILL
WEBER. THANK YOU, MR. LOWENTHAL.
MEMBERS, PLEASE BRING THE NAMES
TO THE DESK TO BE PRINTED IN THE
JOURNAL. OUR REQUEST TO ADJOURN
IN MEMORY WILL BE DEEMED READ
AND PRINTED IN THE JOURNAL.
SEEING AND HEARING. NO FURTHER
BUSINESS. I'M READY TO ENTERTAIN
A MOTION TO ADJOURN. MAJORITY
LEADER AGUIAR-CURRY MOVES, MR.
LACKEY. SECONDS THAT THE HOUSE
STANDS ADJOURNED UNDER CALL OF
THE SPEAKER. QUORUM CALL IS
LIFTED AND THE HOUSE IS
ADJOURNED.
MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES.
TING FROM I TO KNOW. VOTE
CHANGE. ASSEMBLY MEMBER TING
MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES. I
TO KNOW.
PETRIE-NORRIS MOTION TO SUSPEND
THE CONSTITUTION. I TO KNOW VOTE
CHANGE. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
PETRIE-NORRIS MOTION TO SUSPEND
THE CONSTITUTION. I TO KNOW.
RODRIGUEZ. VOTE CHANGE FOR ITEM
NUMBER THREE X2 MOTION FROM I TO
NOT VOTING.
RODRIGUEZ. VOTE CHANGE FOR ITEM
NUMBER THREE XB X2. MOTION.
SUSPEND THE CONSTITUTION FROM I
TO NO. VOTE CHANGE ASSEMBLY
MEMBER RODRIGUEZ. MOTION TO
SUSPEND THE CONSTITUTION. I TO
KNOW.