By Aspen Ford | Reporter
The state Supreme Court yesterday struck down a ballot measure passed by voters in 2024 that aimed to slow the transition from natural gas to electrification. In a 6-3 decision, the justices found Initiative 2066 “unconstitutional in its entirety” because it violated the single subject rule for legislation and initiatives. The measure included “several provisions with markedly distinct purposes,” Chief Justice Debra Stephens wrote.
Also in today’s edition…
Gov. Bob Ferguson weighs in against an initiative on the November ballot.
Democratic-led states fight to inspect federal immigrant detention facilities.
And, Sen. Maria Cantwell’s bill to overhaul college sports is closer to a Senate vote.
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Greg Lane, executive vice president of the Building Industry Association of Washington, holds a petition for Initiative 2066. On Thursday, the state Supreme Court ruled that the measure approved by voters in 2024 was unconstitutional. (Photo by Jerry Cornfield/Washington State Standard)
By Jerry Cornfield
Nearly 2 million voters approved Initiative 2066. But it’s been tied up in courts since passing. “This is the end of the line,” said Greg Lane, executive vice president of the Building Industry Association of Washington.
Justice Sal Mungia wrote in his dissent that he would have struck a couple problematic sections from the measure and upheld what remained as constitutional.
Environmentalists celebrated the outcome. “By upholding the state’s constitution, the Supreme Court has put us back on track to reap the benefits of cheaper, cleaner renewable energy,” said Caitlin Krenn of Washington Conservation Action.
By Sarah Mizes-Tan
Gov. Bob Ferguson joined lawmakers and activists at a news conference Thursday to oppose Initiative 001 on the November ballot. They say the initiative would take away some parental rights that were signed into law last year.
“No matter how hard the other side tries to spin it — it actually weakens existing laws by removing parents’ rights,” Ferguson said.
The measure would rewrite a law that keeps students’ medical and mental health records private from parents, among other provisions aimed at protecting youth from abuse.
Let’s Go Washington, a conservative political action committee, sponsored the initiative. Their leaders say it would strengthen communication between parents and schools.
By Shalina Chatlani
Despite a 2023 state law directing Washington health officials to inspect privately run detention facilities, they’ve repeatedly been denied access to a Tacoma site that holds immigrants.
The state is in a legal battle against the Florida-based GEO Group, which operates nearly two dozen immigrant detention facilities nationwide.
CEO George Zoley called states’ inspection efforts “fundamentally unconstitutional.”
As more Democratic-led states fight to enforce similar inspection laws, they’re facing pushback. The Trump Administration argues that states don’t have authority to inspect federal facilities.
By Shauneen Miranda
A sweeping bill to overhaul the college sports world cleared another procedural hurdle Thursday as it nears possible action in the U.S. Senate.
The measure would set national standards for college athletes’ compensation, provide certain antitrust protections to the NCAA, establish a five-year eligibility timeline and bar professional athletes from competing in college athletics.
Washington’s Democrat U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, a prime sponsor, said in a floor speech Thursday that the bill attempts to “bring some reason to the craziness that has basically been plaguing the most important aspects of college sports.”
ICYMI
Profs and staff give UW a failing grade for budget and bureaucracy troubles | Jake Goldstein-Street
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