INDIANAPOLIS —A day away from triggering hefty fines, Democrats who have so far stalled the Indiana House by skipping out on its first week of sessions acknowledged that pressure to return is mounting.
"There's no question that the fear of fines is a problem," said House Minority Leader B. Patrick Bauer, the Democrat who is working — with less-than-complete success — to keep his caucus together.
Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma said he has not yet decided whether to take the legal steps necessary to impose the $1,000-a-day fines that a new Indiana law allows for lawmakers who skip their chamber's sessions for three straight days.
If he does, it would be the second straight year that Democrats were hit in the pocketbook for their decision to boycott, because last year, Bosma docked them $3,150 total for their five-week stay in Urbana, Ill.
"We did pay the price last time. It's just how high that price can go before you have to find alternative means," Bauer said.
Among those means: Democrats intend to hold town hall meetings — with, or (almost certainly) without Republicans — on the issue of "right to work."
Though the details were not yet final, they said the first two of at least five would take place over the weekend in Evansville and Fort Wayne.
It's an alternative to what Democrats said they wanted, but that Bosma rebuffed, earlier this week: a legislative committee to hit the road for statewide hearings on "right to work" before votes are cast.
The speaker's response was that there has been ample time for study of "right to work."
It's a measure that would allow workers to opt out of paying union dues as a condition of employment.
Majority Republicans say it would open the door to new businesses, and they've made it their top priority during this year's 10-week session. Democrats oppose it, saying it would undermine unions' strength and therefore workers' protection.
It was the flash point of last year's Democratic boycott. Then, it was the subject of several meetings of a legislative summer study committee that took about 18 hours of public testimony.
"They're acting like they never heard of this issue until now, but it's just a delay tactic," Bosma said.
Since Republicans hold a 60-40 majority in the House, they need at least seven Democrats present to get the two-thirds quorum of their members that the Indiana Constitution requires before they can do business.
Right now, as the number of Democrats who are declining what Bauer called the party's "filibuster" grows, they have four.
Last year, one Democrat — Rep. Steve Stemler of Jeffersonville — broke ranks and stayed in Indianapolis while his party's other House members boycotted.
On Wednesday, when the General Assembly met for the first day of the 2012 session, two more joined Stemler. And Thursday, another one — Rep. Ed DeLaney of Indianapolis — did as well.
He told Bosma that "a little movement on the pacing" of the House on the "right to work" issue could help bring other Democrats back to the floor.
The pace picks up Friday. The House and Senate have scheduled a joint meeting of their labor committees to tackle the "right to work" issue. Bosma said the meeting is expected to last about four hours.
The Senate's panel could vote as soon as Friday. The House, though, cannot. Since Democrats have not yet showed up and allowed for a quorum, Bosma hasn't been able to take the procedural step of officially assigning the bill to a committee.
Some Democrats said they're willing to do what it takes to stop the measure — even if that means a blow to their pocketbooks.
"I've been poor before. I've been poor since Urbana," said Rep. Vanessa Summers, D-Indianapolis. "God provides."