POST FALLS - While debates from business property taxes to a new state insurance exchange were tackled and nailed down during the Legislature that concluded last week, there is unfinished business for the offseason.

Local legislators held a town hall meeting attended by about 75 at the American Legion in Post Falls on Saturday to review the session and look at what's to be bantered ahead. Other lawmakers not at the meeting shared their thoughts with The Press.

The health insurance controversy divided legislators, and the meeting was an indication that the topic isn't going away anytime soon.

A state-based health insurance exchange was created that's intended to give Idaho a voice and some local control over how the federal Obamacare plan is implemented.

Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, who didn't attend the meeting because he was driving back from Boise, said the alternative was to let the federal government establish and manage an exchange for Idaho residents. He would rather the state have that control.

"Sure there were fiscal reasons for creating the state exchange," he said. "The bigger issue was retaining some semblance of local control."

Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d'Alene, said the exchange will be monitored to see how it affects citizens.

But some other legislators, including Rep. Kathy Sims and Sen. Bob Nonini, both Coeur d'Alene Republicans, were disappointed the decision was made.

Idaho had the option to set up a separate state-controlled insurance exchange.

Gary Ingram, a Coeur d'Alene resident and former legislator, and Wendy Medlock, a Post Falls resident, said they are concerned that Idaho is falling behind other states academic-wise when it comes to students entering college.

"If we lose our children, we're going to lose our country," Medlock told The Press.

Nonini said getting $1.4 million approved to help charter schools was "a fight" despite the public school budget being nearly $1.6 billion. Charter schools, which are public, can't raise funds via bonds and levies.

Goedde garnered headlines late in the session as Senate Education Committee chairman. His successful effort to kill the school budget last week meant legislators had to stay in session longer than expected.

"I've been vilified for killing the budget, but something had to be done about the process," he said. "You don't change Idaho code through the appropriations process. I doubt they will be trying that again."

Sen. Steve Vick, R-Dalton Gardens, called the law that was passed allowing university student organizations to require their leadership to have the same religious beliefs as their group "an important step in our religious liberties."

The Legislature looked at addressing federal gun control efforts, but after Congress didn't pursue a ban on assault weapons, those talks fizzled.

However, strengthening Idahoans' Second Amendment protections will continue into 2013 and the next session.

"We'll try next session to get some meaningful gun legislation," said Rep. Ron Mendive, R-Coeur d'Alene. "You can't overprotect the Second Amendment."

Gov. Butch Otter said he will work informally with Idaho Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill and House Speaker Scott Bedke on developing such proposals.

"Some ideas percolated in the Legislature this year but never got fully vetted," Otter said. "We'll look at those as well as model legislation and what's been tried in other states. And we'll do it in the context of the ongoing assessment of security needs at our public schools.

"The goal is not just to be prepared for any federal attempts to limit gun rights, but also to take the lead nationally in keeping with Idaho's strong support for the Second Amendment and our well-known independent streak."

Vick said one of the biggest accomplishments was to reduce personal property taxes on most small business.

Otter has called for total elimination of the tax, calling it "onerous and burdensome."

While the whole tax wasn't axed, a law was passed that allows small businesses to exempt the first $100,000 worth of personal property taxes.

"About 85 to 90 percent of Idaho businesses own less than $100,000 worth of taxable property," Vick said, adding the move is estimated to save Idaho businesses $20 million a year.

"It should help the economy and struggling businesses."

The bill faced early opposition from local governments, who would have had to backfill that $20 million loss of state tax revenue with an increase in local taxes, but the Vick said legislators found funds in the state coffers to prevent the local impact.

Goedde's bill requiring students under 18 to show proof of academic progress to receive a driver's license or permit didn't pass.

He said the outcome may have been different if he had more information on similar legislation that has been passed in 27 states. But he didn't receive that research until the end of the session.

"I may bring it back," he said.

Mendive said the state needs to continue to explore ways to gain control of more public lands because it can help struggling rural schools.

"We have the resources; we're just not using them," Mendive said. "If we can't use them, we'll shrivel up and die."

Some legislators praised the passage of the bill that makes human trafficking a felony.

Conviction of the new felony crime of inducing a minor into prostitution or procuring a minor for prostitution will require violators to register as sex offenders and to forfeit any proceeds gained from or property used to commit the crime.

Press staff writer Jeff Selle contributed to this report.