On Sept. 17, 2026, the Washington Supreme Court overturned a voter-approved initiative on natural gas regulations, ruling it violated the state constitution's single-subject rule.
The measure — known as Initiative 2066 — was approved on Nov. 5, 2024, and concerned natural gas regulations, prohibiting legal restrictions or penalties on access to natural gas and requiring both private and public utility suppliers to provide natural gas to consumers. Additionally, the measure repealed HB 1589, passed by the state legislature in 2024, which related to large utilities reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The state Supreme Court's 6-3 decision affirmed a previous ruling by the King County Superior Court. The opinion was written by Chief Justice Debra Stephens, who stated that the initiative included "several provisions with markedly distinct purposes and regulatory effects, embracing four distinct subjects. It is not possible by judicial construction to sever and save any of the separate provisions and therefore I-2066 is unconstitutional in its entirety."
