The California Senate has unanimously passed a bill to allow the sale of a cheaper gasoline blend, potentially lowering prices in the state where fuel costs are the highest in the nation.
The measure, AB 30, cleared the chamber in a unanimous 39–0 vote on Sept 3. It now goes to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, where, if signed, it will allow California to join the other 49 states in permitting E15, a blend of around 85 percent gasoline and 15 percent ethanol.
Sponsored by Assemblymembers David Alvarez and Heath Flora, who are both members of the bipartisan California Problem Solvers Caucus, the bill would allow E15 sales immediately, even while the California Air Resources Board (CARB) completes a rulemaking process started in 2018. The Board is evaluating E15’s compliance with the state’s air quality and fuel standards, a process delayed by technical studies and regulatory hurdles.
Alvarez, a Democrat from southern San Diego County, touted the bill as a pragmatic, bipartisan solution to high gas prices.
“AB 30 is about giving Californians real relief at the pump,” Alvarez said in a statement. “Families across our state are paying some of the highest gas prices in the nation, and adopting the E15 fuel blend could save California drivers an estimated $2.7 billion every year. This bill shows that we can lower costs while also advancing cleaner fuel options.”
Flora, a Republican representing northern San Joaquin Valley, said the bill would force regulators to approve “a cheaper, cleaner fuel blend that drivers in 49 other states already have access to. It’s past time California joined the rest of the country in putting consumers first.”
The bill comes as California has the highest gas prices in the nation.
The average price for regular gasoline in the state was $4.61 per gallon as of Sept. 5, according to data by AAA. The current national average is $3.20.
A study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and the U.S. Naval Academy estimates E15 could lower gas prices by 20 cents per gallon, saving the state’s 28 million drivers $2.7 billion annually.
A separate analysis from the University of California–Riverside found that E15 reduces particulate emissions compared to standard blends.
Although E15 is used in many states, it has also been restricted from sale during the summer months due to increased smog concerns, to meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990.
In April, under the direction of an executive order by President Donald Trump, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an emergency fuel waiver, permitting the nationwide sale of E15 gasoline during the summer.
Before the waiver, E15 sales were banned in roughly half of U.S. states during the summer months.
The Problem Solvers Caucus has pushed the issue since the 2023–2024 session. The group includes Democrats and Republicans focused on collaborative solutions.
Co-authors of the bill include Assemblymembers Mike Alanis, Xavier Ávila Farías, Wendy Carrillo, Laurie Davies, Diane Dixon, Mark González, Josh Hoover, Tom Lackey, Blanca Pacheco, Diane Papan, Darshana Patel, Michelle Rodriguez, Pilar Schiavo, José Luis Solache Jr., Esmeralda Soria, and Greg Wallis; and state Sens. Suzette Martinez Valladares and Marie Alvarado-Gil.
Jane Yang contributed to this report.
