Protesters crowd the Indiana statehouse
(
IBEW)
Indiana Democrats once again stayed away from the House floor to deny Republicans a quorum to move forward with their
right to work free rider bill Tuesday and Wednesday, drawing $1,000 per person fines. The Democrats say they will challenge those fines in court.
The Democrats had been seeking a referendum on the bill, and:
... had been prepared to come to the House on Tuesday to offer an amendment seeking the referendum, until they learned someone – no one will say who but Bauer suspects Republicans — had sought an opinion from the Legislative Services Agency which said the referendum was likely not constitutional.
Bauer said Democrats were blindsided by that and needed more time to craft an amendment that would pass constitutional muster.
“We want them to give us time on 1001 (the ‘right to work’ bill) to fix it so we can have a real vote on that amendment for the people,” Bauer told reporters after the unusual Democrat meeting in the Rotunda. “We’re prepared to do every other bill.”
That "unusual" meeting in the rotunda came because, Democrats say, Republicans denied them access to a regular meeting room, something Republicans deny. Republicans, meanwhile, leveled a harsh charge against Democrats:
[Republican House Speaker Brian] Bosma said he believed [Democratic Leader Patrick] Bauer's request for more time is "a delaying tactic" and urged Democrats to return to the House.
When Democrats ask for (and take action to get) more time, it's a delaying tactic? You don't say.