OLYMPIA -- Washington State University's plans for a  medical school in Spokane took a second step forward today as a Senate panel passed the bill adding that authority to state law.

Like its House counterpart this morning, the Senate Higher Education Committee approved giving WSU the authority to start its own medical school by changing a state law that restricts physicians' education to the University of Washington. 

The vote was unanimous, but discussions made clear that the real challenge to WSU's dreams of a Spokane medical school will hinge on reaching an agreement on funding that doesn't detract from UW's program, which goes by WWAMI, the acronym for the five Northwest states involved.  

An amendment by Sen. David Frockt, D-Seattle, would have required that UW receive money it says the Legislature set aside for WWAMI students in Spokane but was appropriated for WSU. The two universities disagree on that amount, but the top figure of $5.9 million represents a relatively small amount in the state's two year operating budget, which is more than $37 billion, Frockt said.

"I think the entire UW-WSU medical school situation can be worked out," he said.

Sen. Mike Baumgartner, R-Spokane, who sponsored the bill to give WSU authority to start a med school agreed. But the place to work that out is in the budget committee, he said. 

The committee rejected Frockt's amendment on a 3-4 partisan vote, then voted unanimously to move to the full Senate a change in the state law that restricts medical school education to UW. But not before a warning to the two schools and their supporters from Committee Chairwoman Barbara Bailey:

"This is the message I've been sending relentlessly ever sinc the beginning -- that we work this out."Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, said.

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