Bills that would give Washington State University the authority to start a medical school in Spokane have hit an unexpected detour.

OLYMPIA Bills that would give Washington State University the authority to start a medical school in Spokane bills that seemed on the fast track last week have hit an unexpected detour.

The House and Senate budget committees will hold hearings on the costs of a proposed medical school before legislative leaders will allow full votes in either chamber.

Supporters of the project said Tuesday its not a roadblock, but bill sponsors are surprised that legislation specifically rewritten to leave funding questions for later will need approval from the House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means committees before facing full votes in each chamber.

We certainly hope the bill doesnt get caught up in overall budget negotiations, said Sen. Mike Baumgartner, R-Spokane.

Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane, said the bills were written to split the discussion over a new medical school in Spokane. The first step was to rewrite state law to give WSU the authority to offer that medical education; the amount of money the state would provide for the school would be decided later.

State law currently restricts medical education to UW. The law, which has its roots in the Legislature settling a fight over education majors for the two institutions in 1917, is antiquated, Riccelli and Baumgartner both argue.

Companion bills in each chamber were amended to remove language that specifically directs the WSU regents to start a school, and instead merely give them the permission. Those passed out of each chambers Higher Education Committee last week with directions to go to the committees that schedule bills for a vote of the full chamber. A day or so later, they were rerouted to the budget committees.

The University of Washington has raised questions about past spending for its medical-school program in Spokane that was funneled through WSU when both schools were involved in the program. But thats reportedly not the reason the bills were referred to budget committees.

The nonpartisan legal counsel for the Senate Ways and Means Committee said the panel should consider the proposal because of its long-term budget implications, said Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville.

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WSU medical school bills take detour in House, Senate