California's attorney general says residents may be eligible for gas compensation. Here's what you need to know:

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — California Attorney General Rob Bonta is urging California residents who purchased gas in Southern California between February 20, 2015 and November 10, 2015 to file a payment claim as part of the state's settlement with gas trading companies for rigging and manipulating gasoline prices in the state.

If you purchased gasoline in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Kern, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and/or Imperial counties during this time, you may be eligible for a payment.

Eligible Californians may file a claim online at www.CalGasLitigation.com.

How much each claimant will receive is currently unknown and will depend on how many claims are filed. Applications must be submitted by January 8, 2025.

“Market manipulation and price gouging are illegal and unacceptable, especially in times of crisis when people are most at risk,” said Attorney General Bonta. “I am proud to give money back to Californians who have been victims of gas price manipulation. As the people’s attorney, I am committed to fighting corporate greed and ensuring justice for the people of California.”

In July, Bonta announced a $50 million settlement with gas trading companies, alleging that Vitol, Inc. and SK Energy Americas, Inc., along with their parent company SK Trading International, colluded to manipulate and inflate California spot market prices manipulate gasoline.

The attorney general's settlement comes in addition to a settlement of a private class action lawsuit filed in federal court.

California lawmakers are introducing a bill that would prevent gas prices from rising

The California State Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that aims to prevent gas prices from rising, particularly in the late summer months when demand for gas increases.

The legislation would allow state energy regulators to impose requirements on companies to keep a certain supply of fuel on hand – using existing storage to prevent gas prices from suddenly rising when refineries go offline for maintenance. The state would first need to determine that the benefits of any minimum inventory requirements outweigh the potential costs to consumers under the bill.

The Assembly also introduced a bill that would require state energy officials to submit a report to lawmakers by July 1, 2025, on proposals to increase gas supplies. The bills still need to be approved by the state Senate before reaching the governor's desk.

Supporters of the law say it would save Californians billions of dollars at the pump. But opponents say giving the state more control over refineries' maintenance schedules could inadvertently raise overall gas prices and jeopardize worker safety. They argued that delaying necessary maintenance could lead to accidents.

Californians pay the highest rates at the pump due to taxes and environmental regulations. The average price for regular unleaded gasoline in the state is about $4.68 a gallon as of Tuesday, according to AAA, compared to the national average of $3.20.

According to the California Energy Commission, gas prices in California are rising faster than the rest of the country. That's partly because only four refineries supply about 90% of the state's gas, meaning a refinery's decision to go offline for maintenance has a larger impact on the market, said Tai Milder, director of the Department of Petroleum Market Supervision the Commission.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.