WATCH: Could Washington high court’s natural gas ruling unravel income tax law?

The useful part

17, the Washington Supreme Court struck down Initiative 2066, the 2024 measure protecting residents' access to natural gas. In the 6-3 decision, the majority opinion written by Chief Justice Debra Stephens, ruled that I-2066 violated the state constitution's single-subject clause. The state's single-subject rule applies to legislative enactments as well as voter initiatives.

How it works

• If a challenge to the income tax legislation (SB 6346) reaches the court, justices may face questions over whether lawmakers adhered to the same standard applied to the natural gas measure.
• I-2066 bundled natural gas access, building codes, utility rates, and Clean Air Act provisions into the initiative and the court said it could not determine if voters knew about all the different components.
• Lane told The Center Square the Court has opened up a can of worms for lawmakers.
• "If this is the new standard, there are a number of laws that the Legislature passed….that are out of com...

Example or evidence

• "This decision, by setting a new standard on what a single subject is in creating law, that standard has to be applied consistently, whether it's an initiative or legislation that's backed by the...