Washington Supreme Court voids voter-approved natural gas measure

The Washington State Supreme Court has invalidated Initiative 2066, a voter-approved measure intended to slow the state’s transition from natural gas to electric alternatives. In a 6-3 decision, the court found the initiative unconstitutional because it violated the state constitution’s single-subject requirement. Chief Justice Debra Stephens wrote that the measure embraced four distinct subjects with different regulatory effects, making it impossible to sever individual provisions to save the initiative.

In a dissenting opinion, Justice Sal Mungia argued that the court should have attempted to uphold portions of the measure by removing sections that silently amended existing laws.

The Northwest Gas Association (NWGA) responded to the ruling by stating that the decision was based on procedural constitutional requirements rather than the merits of natural gas as an energy source. NWGA President and CEO Kelly Fukai noted that while the ruling voids the initiative, the goal of preserving affordable natural gas access remains supported by nearly 2 million voters. The association emphasized the importance of energy diversity for regional reliability during extreme weather events.