POST FALLS - After two weeks of educating themselves on the upcoming issues, codifying rules and regulations and chasing down political rumors, North Idaho lawmakers say they are ready to get down to business when the legislature reconvenes on Monday.

Six state legislators held a town hall meeting on Saturday at the American Legion Post 143 in Post Falls. The event, sponsored by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, drew about 60 people who were interested in hearing where the lawmakers stand on the issues.

"This session is eerily similar to last year's session and I want to point out some of the concerns I have," said Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens. "It is complete with rumors. Beginning this week we had the rumor that there are a group of freshmen working with the chairman of the Health and Welfare Committee to bring back that second step to the Obamacare mandate, which is the Medicaid expansion - just rumors, just rumors."

Then on Tuesday, Barbieri said, Speaker of the House Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, made front-page headlines in the Idaho Statesman newspaper of Boise by floating the idea of lowering the state income tax rate by eliminating the grocery tax credit.

"That was new to so many people in the caucus," he said. "We had a caucus meeting just two days before that and nothing was said about that."

On Wednesday it continued with even more rumors, he said.

"A new set of rumors coming out of the Revenue and Tax Committee - rumors, just rumors - that there is deal similar to what we saw last year," he said. "Puppet masters are trying to make a deal with the Democrats."

Barbieri has heard that the Democrats are being asked to play ball on the elimination of the grocery tax credit, and a minority of Republicans will work with them to pass a Medicaid expansion bill.

Barbieri said he is working with Rep. Lenore Barrett, R-Challis, to pass a repeal of the state healthcare exchange that the legislature passed last year.

"It was read across the desk (on Friday)," he said. "There is some back-room negotiating to try and get that through the Health and Welfare committee."

Senator Bob Nonini, now back in the legislature after a prolonged illness, said there are really five issues that will dominate this legislative session.

The Medicaid expansion and grocery tax credit mentioned by Barbieri were two of them, but the Common Core curriculum in the public schools will also be an issue, he said.

Nonini said he sits on the Education Committee with Senate Education Committee Chairman John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, which is looking at the standards.

"That's a big issue down there," he said. "We have also got the wolf bill down there."

He said the governor wants to spend some state money and private donations on wolf control measures, which will be discussed this session.

"Then the fifth item I think is big and important is the change in compensation for state employees," he said. "Do we give them 2 percent, or do we give them $30 million? How do we deal with all those things?"

Other panelists who attended included Cathyanne Nonini, who filled in for her husband for the first two weeks of the session; Rep. Ron Mendive, R-Coeur d'Alene; Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d'Alene; and Rep. Ed Morse, R-Hayden.

All of the legislators spoke on the big issues and some gave a glimpse into personal legislation they would like to get through this session. When they finished the audience had an opportunity to ask questions.

Precinct Committee Woman Jennifer Locke asked the legislators to answer yes or no on whether they supported Common Core, and Medicaid expansion.

Nonini said he supports higher standards in the Common Core, but he opposes the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium test, commonly referred to as the SBAC test. He is completely opposed to Medicaid expansion.

Mendive said he is also opposed to Medicaid expansion, and is fearful of Common Core.

Cathyanne Nonini said, after sitting in for her husband, she learned enough about Common Core to support the higher standards, but she also opposes the SBAC test.

"I did take part of the SBAC test, and I, too, am opposed to that," she said, offering no opinion on Medicaid expansion.

Barbieri agreed that curriculum standards need to be raised, but he is against Common Core. He is also against Medicaid expansion.

Goedde said he supports Common Core, but has concerns about the SBAC assessment tool. He will not support Medicaid expansion unless there is some reform to the program.

"There has been some discussion about that, but I think that is too big of an issue to take up during this legislative session," he said.

Malek said he is for the higher standards in Common Core, but he hasn't seen any legislation on either issue, so it is hard for him to say conclusively where he stands on those issues.

"I am in favor of solutions and we have a tremendous problem with the way we are dealing with indigent care right now," he said, referring to Medicaid expansion. "We are throwing money at a bad problem with our indigent care in Idaho."

Morse supports higher standards, but thinks curriculum and testing still need to be looked at.

"I do not support any kind of expansion of Medicaid in its current form," he added.