California lawmakers bow to backlash and ‘delete’ bill taxing Big Oil – By Tori Richards (Washington Examiner) / April 7, 2022
The California Legislature deleted a bill calling for a tax on Big Oil in lieu of suspending taxes at the pump following a large public backlash.
Democrats were accused of hijacking a Republican bill last week that gutted language implementing a six-month holiday on the state’s 51-cent gas tax. Instead, language was inserted that taxed oil companies on profits above 30 cents per gallon.
The bill was supposed to go to the Appropriations Committee but in a surprise move ended up on the Assembly floor Thursday, where it was deleted. Technically, the original bill is still alive and can be restored. The amendments have yet to appear on the Legislature’s tracking site.
“The Supermajority’s scheme to turn my gas tax bill into a tax increase was such a debacle they’re destroying the evidence it ever happened. They just passed an extraordinary motion to ‘strike’ the bill out of existence,” tweeted Rep. Kevin Kiley, a Republican.
