Politics & Government
New Lawmakers To Take Seats, Join Special Session On Oil Profits Next Week
In addition to the expected swearing-in procedures, they'll also join a special session called by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
December 5, 2022
(The Center Square) – A new class of lawmakers will head to Sacramento in just a few days to be sworn in to begin the next legislative session, where, in addition to the expected swearing-in procedures, they’ll also join a special session called by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
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After redistricting and the retirement of several lawmakers, there will be more than two dozen new faces at the Capitol between the two chambers. On the Assembly side as of Thursday, 23 new lawmakers will appear in Sacramento Monday to be sworn in: Democrats Stephanie Nguyen (AD-10), Damon Connelly (AD12), Liz Ortega (AD-20), Diane Papan (AD-21), Esmeralda Soria (AD-27), Gail Pellerin (AD-28), Dawn Addis (AD-30), Jasmeet Bains (AD-35), Gregg Hart (AD-37), Juan Carillo (AD-39), Pilar Schiavo (AD-40), Rick Chavez Zbur (AD-51), Corey Jackson (AD-60), Blanca Pacheco (AD-64), Avelino Valencia (AD-68) and Josh Lowenthal (AD-69); and Republicans Joe Patterson (AD-5), Josh Hoover (AD-7), Juan Alanis (AD-22), Bill Essayli (AD-63), Tri Ta (AD-70), Kate Sanchez (AD 71) and Diane Dixon (AD-72).
Two candidates vying for the seat in Assembly District 47, which includes Palm Springs and other cities in the Coachella Valley, remain locked in a tight race. Democrat Christy Holstege, the outgoing mayor of Palm Springs, led her opponent, Republican Greg Wallis, by just 21 votes as of Thursday morning. Whichever candidate comes out victorious would be new to the chamber.
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On the Senate side as of Thursday, 10 new legislators will be sworn in Monday, including 7 democrats and three republicans. Democrats Marie Alvarado-Gil (SD-4), Angelique Ashby (SD-8), Aisha Wahab (SD-10), Steve Padilla (SD-18), Caroline Menjivar (SD-20), Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (SD-28) and Catherine Blakespear (SD-38). Republican Roger Niello (SD-6) will be sworn in Monday and two other Republicans – Kelly Seyarto and Janet Ngueyen – are moving from the Assembly after winning their Senate races.
The new members’ first day in the Legislature coincides with the convening of a special session, which the governor has called to discuss a proposal to impose a “price gouging penalty” on oil companies.
Newsom officially called the special session Wednesday evening, signing a proclamation directing the Legislature to enact legislation to deter “price gouging” by oil companies “by imposing a financial penalty on excessive margins, with any penalties collected to be returned to Californians.”
The proclamation marks a change in language by the governor regarding his proposal. At the end of September, Newsom called for a “windfall tax” on the profits of oil companies; but in a Wednesday press release, the governor office said Newsom has called a special session for lawmakers to pass a “price gouging penalty.”
Few details of the governor’s proposal have been revealed. Newsom’s special session proclamation followed a Tuesday hearing by the California Energy Commission to discuss recent gas price spikes. Noticeably absent from the hearing were executives from the five large oil refineries in California, which prompted criticism from the governor.
“Big oil is ripping Californians off, and the deafening silence from the industry yesterday is the latest proof that a price gouging penalty is needed to hold them accountable for profiteering at the expense of California families,” Newsom said in a statement. “I’m calling a special session of the Legislature to do just that, and to increase transparency on pricing and protect Californians from outrageous price spikes in the future.”
In a joint statement, Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon said they “look forward to reviewing the Governor’s detailed proposal.”
“Now that the Governor has officially issued his proclamation calling for a special legislative session to examine oil companies’ windfall profits and price gouging, the Legislature is able to add establishing the special session to our regular organizational session on December 5.”
It's looking unlikely, however, that any action on a price gouging penalty will actually occur on Monday. As reported by CalMatters earlier this month, "leading lawmakers say they don't expect to take any substantive action on the governor's proposal until January."
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