Governor Gavin Newsom is mulling over calling a special legislative session in response to rising gas prices. He wants to talk about a proposal that would make oil companies pay a tax for excessive profits made from high gas prices, known as a windfall tax, which he proposed last Friday in response to surging prices across the state. State lawmakers finished their policymaking for the year on August 31st and in order to approve the proposal, they will need to be called into a special session by the Governor. They cannot start any proposals until next year unless a special session is called and will need to approve the measure with 2/3rds of the legislature voting yes on the tax. California has the highest average gas price in the nation sitting above $6 a gallon for regular. Meanwhile, Republicans are doubling down on the call to suspend the gas tax, which would provide immediate relief of about $2.50 per gallon.
A week following his call for a windfall tax, Newsom is making himself available to media for the first time in weeks. The last time he made himself open for questions from the Capitol/Sacramento Press Corps media group was on June 24th, with holding 4 press conferences in Sacramento since January.