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Washington Senate confirms appointees, passes wide slate of bills after lengthy debates on data‑center tax and nicotine levy
Summary
The Washington State Senate on Feb. 28 confirmed several gubernatorial appointments and passed a range of bills on third reading — from derelict‑vessel cleanup to health‑care and housing measures — after protracted debate over repeal of a data‑center tax preference and a new nicotine‑products tax.
The Washington State Senate met Feb. 28 in Olympia and confirmed multiple gubernatorial appointments while advancing and passing a broad package of bills, including measures on derelict vessels, emergency medical‑services rules, and housing. Two of the day's longest floor fights centered on repeal of a sales/use tax preference for data‑center refurbishment and a new unified tax structure for nicotine products.
Most immediately, the chamber confirmed several gubernatorial appointments by overwhelming margins, including Acacia Ingram to the Evergreen State College Board of Trustees and Ashland Tibbitt and David Frakt to Western Washington University’s Board of Trustees. The secretary recorded the constitutionally required majorities when the votes were announced.
On policy, the Senate declared passed Substitute House Bill 2199 — legislation sponsors said clarifies the definition of “derelict vessel” and removes procedural barriers to taking abandoned watercraft out of state waters after testimony about past expensive…
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