\u201cHere in California, because we rely so much on foreign oil, we put ourselves in this position,\u201d Strickland said in response to a question from The Center Square. \u201cBecause of anti-business policies, we just lost Phillips 66 and Valero\u2019s shutting down. Now my bill is the only thing we really have right now to give immediate relief to hardworking California families.\u201d<\/p>\n
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California Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach, poses for an official portrait.\u00a0 Photo: California State Senate \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a> \/ Public Domain,<\/p>\n The bill was rejected Wednesday by the\u00a0Senate Environmental Quality Committee.<\/p>\n In addition to suspending the state\u2019s gas tax for one year, SB 1035 would have suspended California\u2019s low carbon fuel standard and exempt transportation fuel suppliers from the state\u2019s cap-and-trade program for one year, according to a legislative analysis<\/a>.<\/p>\n Other bills to help ease the pain at the pump have been introduced in the California Legislature this year. Among them is a bill similar to Senate Bill 1035 \u2013 Assembly Bill 1745<\/a>, authored by Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez, R-Indio.<\/p>\n That bill also proposes to suspend the state gas tax for one year. As of Feb. 23, it had been referred to the Assembly Committee on Transportation for a hearing. Gonzalez\u2019s bill was announced alongside several Republican lawmakers this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n California has regularly seen the nation’s highest gas prices for several years.\u00a0<\/p>\n Prices recently have exceeded $5 a gallon. In fact, gas could hit $8 to $10 a gallon in the state, according to an oil and gas expert who testified this week in support of SB 1035.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s quite possible \u2013 even the [California Energy Commission] has said that,\u201d Michael Mische, CEO and managing Member of Synergy Consulting Group, Inc., told The Center Square on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Tanker prices have gone up to roughly $300,000 a day, well over the most recent price of $130,000 a day, Mische told The Center Square.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re moving the gasoline over on that tanker at one price, and now you\u2019re moving it over at a higher price, and those prices will be reflected in the price at the pump,\u201d Mische added. \u201cSo it\u2019s quite considerable that we\u2019re looking at $7, $8 a gallon, and worst-case scenario, that could go over $10.\u201d<\/p>\n