California's unused gas-price guardrails face renewed scrutiny amid Iran-driven surge

California built a first-in-the-nation system to cap refinery profits and penalize price gouging during spikes, but regulators delayed the rules for five years and have not used them; as gas prices climb with the Iran conflict and the state’s shrinking refinery capacity, critics say the delay costs drivers billions and undermines consumer protections, while supporters warn enforcement could disrupt supply and investment—leaving the tools dormant until at least 2029 unless the delay is rescinded.