California governor seeks explanation for high gas prices

California's Democratic governor wants to know why the state's gas prices are higher than they should be.

Gov. Gavin Newsom asked the California Energy Commission for an analysis of the state's gas prices by May 15.

Commission spokesman Gordon Schremp says California's prices are higher than other states because of its higher taxes, tougher regulations and recent troubles at the state's refineries. But a 2017 study by the state's Petroleum Market Advisory Committee found those reasons didn’t account for all of the price difference.

In January, 19 state lawmakers had asked the California Department of Justice to investigate. They cited an analysis from University of California-Berkeley Professor Severin Borenstein, who found the unexplained price difference has cost Californians more than $17 billion since February 2015.