INDIANAPOLIS — The Republican leader of Indiana’s Senate says he won’t intervene to help end a three-week standoff on the other side of the Capitol.
Senate President David Long, R-Fort Wayne, said this will be a crucial week as legislative leaders decide if they must move forward without House Democrats, who show no sign of returning from Urbana, Ill. They’ve been there since Feb. 22.
However, Long said a resolution must ultimately be reached between House Democrat Leader Rep. B. Patrick Bauer and Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma.
“In the end, this is between the two leaders over there to find that path, and we’re hopeful that they can,” Long said.
After Democrats officially denied his chamber a two-thirds quorum for a third full week Monday, Bosma said Republicans might turn to the Senate for help. They could amend bills pending before the Senate with content from bills hanging in limbo in the House.
The House would still need to concur with those Senate amendments, though, and it would need a quorum to do so.
“We need a quorum to do any official business here,” Bosma said.
Long said “this is a very important week” because time is running out in this year’s legislative session, but he said everyone is still encouraging House Democrats to return to Indianapolis.
Bauer and Bosma said they spoke this past weekend, but the Democrats aren’t expected to be in Indianapolis on Tuesday.
“Obviously all of us hope that House Democrat leadership figures out a way to get themselves back in their chairs where they belong,” Long said.
Rep. Dan Stevenson, D-Highland, is one of the Democrats participating in the walk-out. He was in the Statehouse on Monday to monitor House activity. He said his caucus has a better relationship with Republicans in the Senate than in the House.
“I don’t think they have the hateful attitude toward public servants that, apparently, the House Republicans do,” Stevenson said.
Rep. Terry Goodin, D-Crothersville, said Democrats want more discussion from Republicans about bills dealing with school vouchers, project labor agreements and common construction wage.