(The Center Square) – In December 2022, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill X1-2, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law in March 2023. The law went into effect on June 26, 2023. The legislation is meant to root out what Newsom calls “illegal gouging by greedy oil companies.” California’s law to combat price gouging is the first of its kind in the nation, but a Washington state lawmaker attempted to pass similar legislation this session – unsuccessfully – but may try again in 2025. “We engaged with the Western States Petroleum Association on how we would craft that,” state Sen…