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Washington Supreme Court Rules Natural Gas Initiative Is Unconstitutional
The court said Initiative 2066 violated the state’s single-subject rule after voters approved it with about 52% of the vote.
- On Thursday, the Washington Supreme Court struck down Initiative 2066 in a 6-3 decision, ruling the 2024 measure "unconstitutional in its entirety" for violating the state's single-subject rule.
- Justices ruled the initiative included "four constitutionally distinct subjects," preventing individual voter assessment of separate provisions—a practice opponents criticized as "logrolling," bundling unpopular policies with popular ones.
- Voters passed I-2066 with nearly 52% support in 2024 to protect natural gas access and unwind building code incentives that favored electric heat pumps over gas furnaces.
- BIAW Vice President Greg Lane called the ruling a "direct rejection" of voter will, while Dylan Plummer of the Sierra Club termed the initiative a "cynical tactic" to roll back climate policies.
- Although the legal battle has concluded, Anthony Anton of the Washington Hospitality Association noted the ruling does not resolve underlying conversion cost challenges facing businesses transitioning away from natural gas.
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Washington high court nixes voter-approved natural gas protections
(The Center Square) - The Washington Supreme Court on Thursday dealt a huge blow to supporters of natural gas. In a 6-3 decision, the state's high court struck down Initiative 2066, passed by nearly two million Washington voters in 2024 to protect natural gas as [...]
WA high court tosses natural gas measure approved by voters • Washington State Standard
The state Supreme Court on Thursday invalidated a ballot measure approved by voters in 2024 that sought to slow Washington’s shift from natural gas toward technology like electric heat pumps. In a 6-3 decision, the justices affirmed a lower court ruling, finding Initiative 2066 “unconstitutional in its entirety” because it runs afoul of a provision […]
Coverage Details
Total News Sources11
Leaning Left4Leaning Right0Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution57% Left
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources lean Left
57% Left
L 57%
C 43%
Factuality
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