An oil severance tax that would generate $1 billion towards education was passed by the California Governance and Finance committee May 9.

The bill, authored by Sen. Noreen Evans, would impose a 9.5 percent fee for each barrel of oil and generate $2 billion to be split in half between higher education, California State Parks  and Health Human Services.

Despite losing three vital Democratic seats, University of California, Berkeley student Jack Tibbetts said enough votes were received for the bill to pass through the committee. It will be reviewed by the Senate Appropriations Committee and be voted by the Senate.

Tibbetts started the movement after budget cuts affected his experience as a student. He realized an oil severance tax could create additional funding for higher education at the cost of oil companies instead of students.

A recent poll showed two-thirds of voters are in favor of the oil severance tax to be passed, with people actively lobbying for support from Senators Kevin de León and Darrell Steinberg.

If passed, the bill would take half of the $1 billion to fund higher education, while the other half would be stored to accumulate interest as an endowment.

“We believe the endowment is a potential solution for the higher education funding crisis and we want to work with our legislators to craft the best policy,” Tibbetts said. “We can’t do this if de León and Steinberg put this bill on suspense.”