INDIANAPOLIS – An Indiana House committee quickly passed right-to-work legislation Tuesday on party lines amid Democrats cries for the chair to allow public testimony and amendments on the controversial bill.
State Rep. David Niezgodski, D-South Bend, argued with the House Employment, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman state Rep. Doug Gutwein, R-Francesville, to allow amendments. Gutwein denied the request telling Niezgodski that the House would hear amendments on the floor.
“We object 100 percent to what is taking place right now,” Niezgodski said. “You have denied access to this bill.”
The Republican-led House and Senate labor committees held a joint hearing last week on right-to-work legislation. The Senate committee passed the chamber’s version of the bill onto the full Senate at the joint hearing, but the House committee couldn’t hold a vote since Democrats had prevented quorum.
Central to the Democrats’ argument at Tuesday’s committee meeting was that the joint hearing didn’t cover the House’s version of the bill. Technically, the House’s version was handed down for the first time on Monday when Democrats returned from a three-day boycott.
But Gutwein insisted testimony on the bills was heard last week and entertained a call for the 8-5 vote.
“I made sure everyone had time to speak,” said Gutwein of the five-hour joint committee hearing.
House leadership has said Thursday is the earliest the bill could have a second reading.
A majority of Democrats boycotted House sessions for the first three days of the Indiana General Assembly session contending the public needs more time to understand the bill.
The legislation restricts unions from collecting dues or fees from nonmembers or making payment of those fees a condition of employment.
State Rep. Jerry Torr, R-Carmel, said the amendments filed by Democrats weren’t germane to the bill. Democrats say they will weigh day-to-day on whether to attend the full House sessions.
“I suspect they are going to walk out again no matter what we do,” Torr said.