Southwest Gas Corp. officials said they are confident that natural gas has a bright future in Arizona, supported by a law passed last year to prevent local governments from imposing bans on natural gas in new construction.

Arizona’s House Bill 2686, effective last August, prohibits local building permits from restricting natural gas. Lawmakers in Oklahoma, Louisiana and Tennessee, among others, have passed similar bills. The Arizona legislation reserves utility regulation to the state, noting that “a building permit applicant’s ability to use a utility provider…is not subject to further regulation by a municipality.”

Southwest Gas supported the measure and its electric utility equivalent Arizona Public Service (APS) remained neutral.  “The law doesn’t pick winners...