INDIANAPOLIS | House Democrats returned to Indiana on Monday, ending the longest partisan walkout in state history and providing the Indiana House with enough members in attendance to take legislative action for the first time in more than a month.
House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, gaveled the House into session at 4 p.m. region time. For the first time in 34 days, the seats on the Democratic side were filled and 98 representatives answered the attendance roll call.
"It's refreshing and pleasant to see a full chamber," Bosma said.
The Democrats relocated to Urbana, Ill., on Feb. 22 to halt House action on labor and education legislation they said would destroy wages and public schools in the state. Without the 40 Democrats, the 100-member House did not have the required 67 members in attendance to do business.
Democratic Leader Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, said the walkout was needed to give Hoosiers time to learn about the radical agenda House Republicans were trying to force through the Legislature, including right-to-work and school vouchers.
"The Republicans found out that Hoosiers like collective bargaining, they like their public schools and they like fair wages," Bauer said. "This was an educational experience that I don't think we've ever had in Indiana."
State Rep. Linda Lawson, D-Hammond, the deputy Democratic leader, said the work of pointing out the dangers of the Republican legislative agenda will continue.
"There's a lot of battles out there, a lot of battles yet to be fought," Lawson said. "We've got a month to get it done in, so we're going to take off the gloves."
In the end, both Republicans and Democrats compromised to bring the walkout to a close.
Bosma and Bauer agreed to remove from House consideration the following: right-to-work legislation that would forbid requiring workers in a union shop to pay dues or fees for union representation; a measure permitting private takeover of public schools; and a permanent ban on collective bargaining for state employees.
They also agreed to cap the number of students eligible for private school vouchers at 7,500 in the first year and 15,000 in the second, and set a threshold for use of the common construction wage on public works projects at $250,000 in the first year and $350,000 in the second.
"We could have gotten to this place much more quickly -- in a matter of days or hours -- if everyone had been here in the building," Bosma said. "We're just prepared to move forward now."