Washington State Initiative 2066 court ruling

The Washington State Supreme Court invalidated Initiative 2066, a voter-approved measure designed to slow the transition from natural gas to electric alternatives. In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled the initiative unconstitutional because it violated the state constitution’s single-subject requirement. The court found the measure embraced multiple 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 legal restrictions that prevented state and local governments from discouraging or prohibiting natural gas use. The Building Industry Association of Washington estimated that converting an existing natural-gas home to an all-electric system could cost approximately $40,000.

In a dissenting opinion, Justice Sal Mungia argued the court should have attempted to uphold portions of the measure by removing defective sections. Critics of the ruling argue that striking down the entire law represents a rejection of the expressed will of nearly two million voters. The Northwest Gas Association stated the decision was based on procedural constitutional requirements rather than the merits of natural gas as an energy source.