Assemblyman Keith Brown, R-Commack, is pictured at an event in his district in April. Brown is proposing a last-ditch effort to suspend the state’s gas tax until the end of hostilities between the United States and Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Legislation that would implement a gas tax holiday has been introduced in the state Legislature – though it may be too late to pass in this week’s end-of-session rush.

Assemblyman Keith Brown, R-Commack, had legislation (A.11489) introduced in the Rules Committee on his behalf late last week. The bill is being co-sponsored by Republican Karl Brabanec, conservative Democrat Kalman Yeger, Republican Alec Brook-Krasny, Republican Ken Blankenbush, Republican Joe Angelino, Republican David McDonough and Republican Daniel Norber.

Brown proposes providing for a fuel tax holiday until the end of the ongoing hostilities with Iran and the reopening of the strait of Hormuz..

“A barrel of oil is trading between $103 and $113 today and although we have no control over the prices set internationally for oil, we do have control over the additional taxes we in New York State levy on a gallon of gas at the pump. New York State adds 26.15 cents in taxes to each gallon sold. With the large tanks found in family SUVS this can add a significant out of pocket expense over the course of a month,” Brown wrote last week in his legislative justification. “This bill shall alleviate this extra expenditure to New York state residents by giving the tax a holiday during the remainder of this conflict. This will allow for some relief at the pumps and help families that are struggling during this economically difficult time.”

The average price for a gallon of gas in Jamestown is five cents lower this week at $4.602, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report, while the national average price has decreased 18 cents from last week to $4.32 a gallon amid reports of peace talks with Iran. Monday brought reports Iran may suspend those talks, leaving the potential for higher oil and gas prices again. Gas prices remain the highest they’ve been in four years and will likely remain elevated as the busy summer driving season gets underway, according to the AAA. While Monday’s national average is 7 cents less than a month ago, it is $1.18 more than a year ago.

The nation’s top 10 most expensive gasoline markets are California ($6.03), Washington ($5.71), Hawaii ($5.63), Alaska ($5.23), Oregon ($5.23), Nevada ($5.14), Illinois ($4.76), Arizona ($4.68), Idaho ($4.61), and Washington, D.C ($4.60). The nation’s top 10 least expensive gasoline markets are Indiana ($3.66), Oklahoma ($3.80), Texas ($3.80), Georgia ($3.83), Louisiana ($3.85), Mississippi ($3.85), South Carolina ($3.90), Kansas ($3.90), Arkansas ($3.93), and Tennessee ($3.93).

The United States said Monday that it bombed radar and drone sites in Iran after Tehran shot down an American drone over the weekend. Iran then said it targeted American soldiers in Kuwait with missiles, which the U.S. says it shot down. The nominal ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. has been repeatedly tested with back-and-forth attacks, though officials from both countries are still trying to negotiate an end to the war. It’s not clear how close they are to a deal — and there is always the risk that an attack could derail those talks.

Fighting has also been escalating between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, despite their nominal ceasefire, and that has increasingly threatened the emerging deal to extend the Iran war ceasefire. On Monday afternoon U.S. President Donald Trump said Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to dial back their fighting after he held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and communicated with Hezbollah through mediators. Moments later, though, Israel said it had detected missile launches from Lebanon and warned Israelis in part of northern Israel to take cover in protected spaces.

Meantime, Iran maintained its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global energy supplies and driving up the price of fuel around the world, with far-reaching consequences. A cargo ship came under attack off Iraq Monday afternoon, the British military said.

The uncertainty is prompting Brown to mount a last-ditch effort to implement a gas tax holiday before the end of the state legislative session at the end of the week.

“Gas prices have surged since the start of the conflict with Iran. AAA puts the current average price in New York State for regular gas at $4.61 a gallon. This is $1.60 higher per gallon than it was in February of this year. That 35% increase for every gallon has a significant effect on consumers and our economy,” Brown wrote in his legislative justification. “According to the Institute for Economic Policy Research at Stanford University, gas is one of the least discretionary items in a household budget and for lower income households’ gas is a larger share of their budget, leaving less room for other purchases. Higher gas prices effect everything from cost of goods, higher airfares, shipping costs and the price of food at the grocery store.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.