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The Washington Blade is reporting that the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (the Matthew Shepard Act) might get passed as an amendment to another bill rather than as a standalone:

Trevor Thomas, an HRC spokesperson, told the Blade in a statement Monday that the Senate settled on this method of passage.

“We understand that Senate leadership does not believe a hearing or mark up on the bill is necessary and plans to bring it directly to the floor as an amendment to another moving vehicle,” he said.

. . . Thomas said the Senate determined it would pass the legislation as an amendment because the chamber’s leaders believes that’s “the most efficient way” to send the measure to the president’s desk.

. . . it was not yet clear what bill the hate crimes legislation would join and that a viable option might not be available before late summer or early fall.

Thomas said HRC was calling on the Senate to pass the legislation before the end of the summer.

In related and cognitively dissonant news, The Washington Independent reports that a small number of Senate Republicans are looking to themselves piggyback on the Matthew Shepard Act.

The possible plan is to try to add a Second Amendment amendment to the hate crimes bill that would allow gun owners to carry their weapons from one state to another in accordance with concealed carry laws. The possible rationale — to defend gay rights. With guns.