XPost: alt.california, sac.politics, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh
XPost: alt.society.liberalism, talk.politics.guns

California Democrat voters have to be the dumbest people on the face of
the earth. Why in the world would voters keep electing a party of
idiots who have no fiscal restrain, and crap on the constituents in
favor of national enemies????

The California Senate on Wednesday rejected a measure that sought to
stop gas prices rising by a projected 65 cents per gallon.

Senate Bill 2 had aimed to halt proposed changes to California's Low
Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) that were approved by the California Air
Resources Board (CARB) in November.

Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, a Republican who authored the bill,
forced a floor vote on the measure on Wednesday. Lawmakers rejected it
in a 10-23 vote, with Democrats unanimous in their opposition.

Why It Matters
A report by the University of Pennsylvania's Kleinman Center for Energy
Policy predicted that the changes could increase the cost of gas by 65
cents a gallon in the near term and by 85 cents a gallon by 2030.

Supporters say the new rules are necessary to keep California on track
for its climate goals. But critics have warned that the new standards
could raise gas prices even higher in a state where drivers already pay
some of the highest fuel costs in the nation.

What To Know
Senate Bill 2 aimed to "void specified amendments to the Low-Carbon Fuel Standard regulations adopted by the state board on November 8, 2024, or
as subsequently adopted, as specified."

The proposed changes to the LCFS include updated targets to reduce the
carbon intensity of transportation fuels used in California in order to
reduces air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Jones, a Republican, accused Democrats of choosing "higher gas prices
over hardworking Californians," pointing to the estimates that the
updates to the LCFS will raise gas prices by as much as 65 cents per gallon.

But David Clergen, a spokesperson for the California Air Resources
Board, has called the 65-cent figure "misinformation," saying that
independent experts estimate gas prices may rise by just 5 to 8 cents
per gallon. He also told the Sacramento Bee that the LCSF does not
directly add to gas prices.

What People Are Saying
California Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones said in a statement on
Wednesday: "I forced a Senate Floor vote to repeal Governor Newsom's
65-cent gas price hike. Senate Democrats unanimously opposed it. They
had a chance to stand with California drivers, but instead, they chose
to defend the highest gas prices in the nation."

CARB spokesperson David Clergen told the Sacramento Bee: "Independent
experts have projected LCFS pass-through costs could range from as low
as 5 cents per gallon to as high as 8 cents per gallon, much lower than
widely reported projections that are as high as a dollar or more."

He added that any additional costs "would be from oil companies passing
through the cost of complying with the regulation and they would decide
how much, if any of that cost to pass through to consumers."

What's Next
The proposed updates to the LCFS were resubmitted to the Office of Administrative Law, which reviews the legality of state regulations, on
May 16, after the agency rejected the proposed changes in February. The
agency has until June 30 to make a final determination and if approved,
the changes could go into effect on July 1.

That could come on the same day that an increase in California's state
gas tax is set to take effect, rising from 59.6 to 61.2 cents per gallon.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/california-democrats-vote-to-increase-gas-prices/ar-AA1GdYwG?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531

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