Bill prohibiting income tax fails in Senate

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- The state Senate failed to reach the required vote threshold to send voters a constitutional amendment asking if they want to prohibit a state income tax.

Senate Joint Resolution 8204 failed in the Republican-led chamber Tuesday because only 27 senators voted in support, shy of the 33 votes needed. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and House before they can be sent to the ballot for a public vote.

Washington is one of seven states without a personal income tax. The others are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming.

New Hampshire and Tennessee have a limited income tax on interest, dividends and capital gains, but they do not tax wages and salaries, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.