By Assemblyman Kevin Kiley – June 21, 2022

The Supermajority has taken the bold step of forming a “Select Committee” to figure out the “real” reason gas prices are so high.

In a scene out of a bad political sitcom, a handful of Democrat legislators gathered in the Capitol press room to roll out the “Select Committee on Gasoline Supply and Pricing.” The Speaker was present, fidgeting nervously throughout.

As context: there are 50 Select Committees in the Assembly, such as the Select Committee on the “State of Hate” and the Select Committee on Craft Beer. It’s not clear how many of these taxpayer-funded outfits have ever even met.

But this new Select Committee, we were told, will get around to meeting – in “a number of weeks.” We also learned that following “negotiations” with Newsom, the long-promised “relief” – meager checks in the mail – will arrive about the same time as your ballot in October.

Newsom and the Supermajority’s embarrassment was compounded by an unlikely source: Joe Biden. Even he now wants to suspend the gas tax. When you make Biden look reasonable by comparison, that’s quite an accomplishment.

But in good news, another dreadful COVID bill is in trouble as the school testing measure faces strong opposition in Assembly Health. And the anti-parent consent bill is languishing on the Assembly Floor, well short of the needed votes.

The Legislature recesses for a month next Thursday. It will be an interesting next nine days.