(Indianapolis, Ind.) - It did not take long for drama to start on the first day of Indiana’s 2012 legislative session Wednesday.
With a controversial right to work bill up for debate, House Democrats refused to leave their caucus room and allow the session to begin. The 40 party members holding out prevented the House from having the required 67 person quorum to hold a vote.
“I’m a little surprised this is taking place so the public business cannot be done here on the House floor,” said House Speaker Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis) as the first day’s business, or lack thereof, finished Wednesday.
Right to work legislation, officially titled House Bill 1001, would disallow businesses and unions to form agreements requiring employees to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of employment. Indiana would become the 23rd right to work state in the United States.
During the 2011 session, House Democrats fled Indiana for five weeks to prevent a vote on the bill. Many have speculated leading up to this year’s session that a walkout was again a possibility.
House Minority Leader Pat Bauer (D-South Bend) said that isn’t likely.
“We have not intentions to leave the state,” he told reporters Wednesday.
A key reason for no extended walkout may be increased fines implemented last year. A lawmaker can be fined up to $1,000 per day after missing more than three consecutive session days.
Southeast Indiana’s Republican state lawmakers voiced frustration with the Democrats’ holdout.
“I showed up today ready to do meaningful work for the citizens of Indiana and feel frustrated that the Democrats are prohibiting that from happen,” said Rep. Jud McMillin (R-Brookville) in a statement. “Their absence from session has silenced the voices of Hoosiers across the state.”
Rep. Tom Knollman (R-Liberty) echoed McMillin's thoughts.
"I came to session ready to work today and it's a shame that nothing could be accomplished," said Knollman. "With it being a short session, we need to be as productive as possible and work toward bettering our state."
Republican’s have a supermajority in the Senate, where an identical right to work bill was able to be introduced Wednesday.
While the House chambers may have been half-empty Wednesday, the halls of the statehouse were not. As expected, there were large crowds of union protestors at the statehouse.
A new rule placing limits on the number of people allowed in the Indiana Statehouse was rescinded by Governor Mitch Daniels in the morning after lines began forming outside the building.
The rule was enacted last week by security to allow a maximum of 3,000 people inside the statehouse.
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