Late this afternoon, after waiting for more than two hours, seventh-grader Ilah Hickman got her meeting with House State Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona. Idaho Education News reports that Loertscher met with the 13-year-old for 25 minutes, as her mom and other lawmakers looked on. He quizzed her on Idaho’s state symbols – she aced them all – and the two discussed the youngster’s bill, which passed the Senate with just two “no” votes, to designate the Idaho giant salamander as Idaho’s official state amphibian. Loertscher told Ilah it’s too late in the session for a hearing on her bill, but she left undeterred, saying if it doesn’t pass this year, she’ll try again next year. You can read Idaho Education News reporter Clark Corbin’s full report here.