In their annual talk and Q-and-A session with the Idaho Press Club today, House Speaker Scott Bedke and Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill were asked about an array of legislative issues, from an “Add the Words” compromise to concealed-carry gun legislation. Here are some of their comments:

Bedke on possible compromise on civil rights protections for gays: “I’ll tell you what it’s going to look like: It’s going to touch both bases that were described in that hearing. ... It’s going to touch both those that are concerned about losing religious freedom, and at the same time it’s going to address the concerns about being mistreated in society, on either end of the spectrum. And I’m optimistic that we’ll be able to thread that needle. But it’s like trying to thread a needle as you’re jumping on a trampoline that’s in the back of a truck that’s going down a dirt road. It’s touchy. But I think that there’s people working on this in good faith at this point.”

Concealed weapons bills: Bedke said, “Let’s go back three years, when one body would pass a piece of gun legislation, and the other wouldn’t pass it.” Now, he said, there’s a loose-knit group including lawmakers from both houses who work together and “vet” gun bills. “That has worked well, I think, in the House and Sneate. Those bills that address those gun issues are directed there. … Obvioulsy there’ve been some attempts to go around this group, but I think Idaho is still very pro-2^nd Amendment, and the Legislature reflects that.” Hill said, “What I hear from the group is that we will probably have some legislation this session, which will be a combination of a number of things.”

State contracting: Hill and Bedke said various drafts of legislation to reform Idaho’s contracting processes are being kicked around, but the issue may be headed for an interim committee. “Something needs to be done,” Hill said. “We’ve spent a lot of time on it. … We’ve got to do it right.” Bedke said among things being considered is following the recommendation of an Office of Performance Evaluations report to expand state contracting rules to cover all contracts; currently, many, including all those issued by the offices of state elected officials, are exempt. Hill said amid the scrutiny, “People that are entering into contracts out there in those agencies, they’re being a lot more careful this year. They know the legislature is watching, they know you guys are watching.”

The failed Idaho Education Network contract: Hill said, “I think we were all in agreement we didn’t want that contract and it needed to be gone. … It was a bad contract. We needed a fresh start.” He praised the short-term contracts school districts have signed, many with local vendors, to keep broadband service running for the rest of this school year. “Some of those players have sure stepped up to the plate and helped us,” he said. Bedke said, “I think we need to be adaptive here. Plan A, it’d be my desire that we do a managed contract next school year. And if we can’t … maybe be ready to extend these four-month contracts out into the next school year, to have an ability to go one way or the other.”