INDIANAPOLIS — A group of international journalists from such far-flung places as Pakistan, Angola and Lebanon visited the Indiana Statehouse on Tuesday with a desire, as one of them said, to “see American democracy in action.”
They got a dose of it and more as the Indiana House rumbled and tumbled into another standoff over the contentious “right to work” bill.
As a large crowd of protesters once again filled the Statehouse with loud chants of anti-bill slogans, House Democrats worked nearly three hours of delay to their favor, stalling a vote on the bill and escaping the threatened fines of $1,000 a day.
House Minority Leader Patrick Bauer kept most of his members in a caucus meeting late in the day to deny Republicans the quorum they needed to vote on the bill. “We’re willing to do everything — we’ll do hearings; every other bill — but we need time on this one bill to at least have a fair, constitutional chance to give the people a voice,” Bauer said.
Bauer and House Democrats have been pushing for an amendment that would allow voters to decide in a November referendum whether they want a “right to work” law in Indiana. Such a law would prohibit employers from entering into labor contracts that require workers to pay union dues. But House Republicans oppose the amendment, leaning on an opinion from the Legislative Services Agency — the Legislature's nonpartisan research arm — that says such an amendment might be unconstitutional.
The delay tactics were clearly trying the patience of Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma, who wants the bill passed before crowds of fans and news crews arrive in Indianapolis for the Super Bowl on Feb. 5.
Late Tuesday, Bosma said he would immediately fine missing House members a $1,000 each if they don't show up on the House floor by 9 a.m. today.
From the speaker's podium, Bosma scolded Bauer for going back on his word that he'd have enough House Democrats on the floor Tuesday to debate the 40-plus amendments that have been filed on bill.
“You’ve made public agreements to return to work on this bill today,” Bosma said. “We made numerous accommodations for that.” Bosma said the “right to work” bill will be first item on the House agenda this morning.
Tuesday proved to be a long day for many House members. Both Democrats and Republicans started their days with committee hearings on dozens of bills that may hit a roadblock if the dispute continues.
After leaving committee hearings, they faced crowds of union supporters who are pushing hard to kill the bill. Among the chants protesters repeated loudly and frequently during the afternoon — “See you at the Super Bowl.”
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