Idaho lawmakers concerned that special recognition of the Idaho giant salamander could lead to federal protections have rejected a grade school student's request it be named the state amphibian.
The Spokesman-Review reports that the House State Affairs Committee voted 10-6 on Monday against 14-year-old Ilah Hickman's plan.
An Idaho attorney general's opinion advised lawmakers that approving the salamander as a state symbol wouldn't do anything in the way of encouraging federal protections.
But northern Idaho lawmakers remained wary of what they called "federal overreach."
It was Hickman's fifth attempt in as many years to persuade lawmakers that students made a good choice for state amphibian.
The salamander can grow to more than a foot long and lives almost exclusively in Idaho.
Hickman says she'll try again next year.