California lawmakers are considering a bill that would place current refinery-worker protections into state law while regulators rework the rules under an industry settlement.
Backers said the issue carries added urgency because California has a history of refinery fires and explosions that have shaken nearby communities, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Here's what to know
Under Senate Bill 966, existing safety protections for refinery employees would be codified in California law. The measure covers the right to refuse unsafe work, to take part in safety reviews, to choose worker representatives for planning, and to report hazards anonymously.
As the state weighs a broader overhaul of refinery regulations, the proposal cleared a key fiscal committee.
The United Steelworkers support the bill, which was introduced by Long Beach Democratic state Sen. Lena Gonzalez.
The measure comes after years of disputes over refinery safety standards, including rules strengthened after Chevron's 2012 Richmond fire, which sent 15,000 people to seek medical care.
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Oil industry opposition has been significant. The Western States Petroleum Association, along with Chevron, Marathon Petroleum, and PBF Energy, has lobbied against the legislation.
More background
Concern about aging refinery infrastructure intensified after an explosion in 2025 at Chevron's El Segundo refinery, which shook nearby neighborhoods and sent flames high into the air.
California's refinery safety rules are built around "process safety," an approach designed to identify hazards before they become disasters.
That framework took on even more urgency after the 2012 Richmond fire and a 2015 Torrance refinery explosion that nearly released modified hydrofluoric acid, a potentially deadly chemical.
What's being done?
Backers of SB 966 said the goal is to preserve current worker protections during the regulatory rewrite that followed a 2024 settlement between industry groups and the state.
The California Environmental Protection Agency has already finalized some amendments to refinery safety rules; a parallel revision at the state workplace safety agency is still underway.
Labor leaders said putting the protections into law would provide more certainty for workers and for communities living near refineries.
Nick Plurkowski, a leader of a Bay Area United Steelworkers local, said the push grew out of concern over how the settlement process could reshape existing safeguards.
Opponents, meanwhile, argue that the bill could create added costs and legal conflict.
Zach Leary, a lobbyist for the Western States Petroleum Association, said during legislative testimony in June: "Unfortunately, it's this type of regulatory and legislative whiplash that creates a business environment that is very difficult to operate in."
"Part of what led to SB 966 was how quickly CalEPA folded," Plurkowski said. "People's lives are at stake, communities are at stake, we've learned enough lessons to know better at this point."
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