OLYMPIA, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Another initiative that could strip parts of a new Washington law could head to the November ballot.
Northwest News Network reports that over 431,000 signatures in support of Initiative 2066 have been turned in to the Secretary of State’s Office as of Tuesday.
Political action committee Let’s Go Washington created the initiative after the state House passed a bill meant to steer PSE away from using fossil fuels. HB 1589 specifically targeted natural gas, which is used by nearly a million people across the state as their primary energy source.
Initiative 2066 would prevent local and state governments from discouraging natural gas usage.
Let’s Go Washington states that the initiative isn’t meant to force more people to use natural gas, but rather give consumers a choice between energy options. The conservative-backed committee has already put six initiatives in front of the state. Half of those initiatives will appear on the November ballot after the Democrat-led legislature passed the others earlier this year.
The Secretary of State must verify the signatures for Initiative 2066 to appear on the November ballot.