California Legislator Proposes New Office for Gas Price Investigations

The Office of Fuel Price Investigation and Manipulation Prevention would handle consumer complaints of possible price fixing.

April 17, 2013

SACRAMENTO – A California senator is proposing the state create an office for consumers to complain about possible price fixing at gas stations, PolitiCal reports. State Sen. Mark Leno’s bill would establish an Office of Fuel Price Investigation and Manipulation Prevention at the California Energy Commission. 

Leno envisions the new office as a place to handle public inquiries into price manipulation or other complaints relating to gas prices. His proposal would also task the office with coming up with anti-fuel price manipulation standards, look into any allegations of price fixing and propose ideas for lowering the swings in California gas prices.

“For too long, Golden State drivers have been at the mercy of a few major oil companies that control the state’s transportation fuel market,” said Leno. “We clearly need a process by which we can protect consumers against fuel price volatility and investigate potential cases of price manipulation.”

Groups supporting SB 448 include Consumer Action, Consumer Federation, the Environmental Defense Fund and the Greenlining Institute. “If the state is serious about addressing climate change and reducing dependence on oil, it must make sure that companies can’t manipulate gas prices in order to undermine the long-term viability of common sense approaches,’’ said Tim O’Connor, director of the Environmental Defense Fund California Climate Initiative.

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