When a Vancouver senator pushed through a bill to study adding a new state college in the area, a couple of Spokane lawmakers saw their chance.

Brand-new Sen. Brian Murray and Senate Minority Leader Lisa Brown teamed up Friday to try to amend the bill, by simply adding the words "...and Spokane."

That would have required the study to consider education needs in the Lilac City -- potentially valuable information when lobbying for expanding the fledgling University District in downtown Spokane.

The amendment was shouted down.

"I had no idea I was creating such a tempest in a teapot," said Sen. Don Carlson, R-Vancouver.

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