INDIANAPOLIS —In less than six minutes and with no debate, an Indiana House committee passed a controversial “right to work” measure Tuesday morning.
Majority Republicans who control the committee denied Democratic attempts to offer amendments, and allowed for no debate. They forced an immediate roll call vote, which Republicans won on party lines, 8-5.
“Call the roll!” demanded the House Employment, Pensions and Labor Chairman Douglas Gutwein, R-Francesville. He then adjourned the meeting before announcing the vote total.
Democrats howled over the tactics, and labor union supporters there in the audience shouted at Republicans.
“I think the light of democracy just went out in the Indiana House,” said Rep. Clyde Kersey, D-Terre Haute.
“We object 100 percent to what is taking place right now,” said Rep. David Niezgodski, D-South Bend.
Gutwein said he would not consider amendments because Democrats did not file them until late last night, and he did not see them until an hour before this morning’s meeting.
“I didn’t choose the way the meeting was handled this morning, but everybody knows on the committee how everybody was going to vote,” said Rep. Jerry Torr, the Carmel Republican who authored the “right to work” measure.
The committee’s vote came the day after Democrats ended their three-day boycott of the House to start the 2012 session, and hours before Gov. Mitch Daniels delivers his eighth and final State of the State address.
Last week the House and Senate labor committees, both controlled by Republicans, held a five-hour hearing to take public testimony on “right to work.”
While the Senate panel voted at that hearing, Democrats said they wanted public testimony in the House, too. It’s possible that the quick hearing with no chance to offer amendments or debate the bill could increase chances that Democrats boycott once again.
“I suspect they’re going to walk out again no matter what we do,” Torr said.
The House version of the "right to work" measure -- House Bill 1001 -- would allow workers to opt out of paying union dues as a condition as of employment.
Republicans and their business lobby allies support it, saying some business site selectors automatically strike Indiana off their list of potential places to operate because of the state's lack of such a law. Democrats and their labor union backers oppose it, saying it would undermine the unions that protect workers' salaries and benefits.
It now moves to the full House for consideration. The Senate's identical bill, Senate Bill 269, is slated for consideration in that full chamber soon, as well.