Washington Supreme Court strikes down voter-approved natural gas protections

The Washington Supreme Court has invalidated Initiative 2066, a voter-approved measure intended to protect the use of natural gas. In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled that the initiative violated the state constitution’s single-subject requirement, noting it contained distinct subjects including natural gas access, utility obligations, local air-quality regulations, and statewide energy codes.

While the ruling does not mandate that homeowners switch to electricity, it removes the legal restrictions that prevented state and local governments from discouraging or prohibiting natural gas use. The Building Industry Association of Washington has estimated that converting an existing natural-gas home to an all-electric system could cost homeowners approximately $40,000, depending on necessary upgrades to electrical panels, wiring, and appliances.

Critics of the decision argue that the court’s decision to strike down the entire law rather than correcting specific defective sections represents a rejection of the expressed will of nearly two million Washington voters.