Legislation Would Allow Oil Companies To Call Refinery Shutdown Information 'Trade Secret'
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Lawmakers have approved legislation that would allow government regulators to monitor oil refinery shutdowns in response to a fire at Chevron's Richmond refinery in 2012. It also would allow oil companies to designate the information as a "trade secret."
SB1300 by Democratic Sen. Loni Hancock of Berkeley would protect information submitted to state officials from disclosure under the California Public Records Act.
The Assembly and Senate approved the bill late Friday, sending it to the governor.
Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner, another Berkeley Democrat, told lawmakers the bill does not change existing public records laws.
But media groups that oppose it say SB1300 would allow an oil refinery to challenge the release of documents and take anyone requesting them to court and pay legal fees if they lose.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.
