  Some authors have proposed that electron energy distributions in H II regions
and planetary nebulae may be significantly nonthermal, and kappa-distributions
have been suggested as being appropriate. Here it is demonstrated that the
electron energy distribution function is extremely close to a Maxwellian up to
electron kinetic energies ~13 eV in HII regions, and up to ~16eV in planetary
nebulae: kappa-distributions are inappropriate. The small departures from a
Maxwellian have negligible effects on line ratios. When observed line ratios in
H II regions deviate from models with a single electron temperature, it must
arise from spatial variations in electron temperature, rather than local
deviations from a Maxwellian.
