2018 Indiana General Assembly ends in chaos

That rumor, adding life to a conventional adjournment, never materialized.

By that late hour, less than 10 legislative bills had yet to be heard in rules committees which approve the measures and send them back to the chambers for passage. By law, the session was to end no later than March 14, a procedure known as sine die.

A day earlier, the House worked into the night after paying its annual honor to staff and retiring members. The Senate adjourned mid-afternoon on Tuesday, waiting until the final day for its tributes to retiring members including President Pro Tempore David Long, R-Fort Wayne.

Some bills had been bitterly opposed by Democrats who are in the minority in both chambers. Among them, House Bill 1315 would have allowed Ball State University to take over financially troubled Muncie schools.

As the frenzy of deadlines hit Wednesday night, Democrats might have seen a way to unhinge bills as they were heard in the House Rules committee, chaired by Rep. Jerry Torr, R-Carmel, and playing a vital role in pushing the agenda not only of House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, but Gov. Eric Holcomb.

Two of the late bills addressed Holcomb's agenda: setting standards for autonomous vehicles to operate in Indiana, which was opposed by car manufacturers; and funding $5 million for school safety efforts.

Deadline looms

At 11:46 p.m., meeting one floor above the House chamber, Torr again reminded committee members of the impending midnight deadline.

"It's not my fault that you guys can't manage the process to get your work done by statutory deadline," said committee member Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington. "Now you're probably going to dump the next huge bill on us. We don't know what the hell is in it."

Democrats, hearing of the confusion, stood in a corner of the House and talked about leaving the room so that the chamber wouldn't have a two-thirds quorum. Bosma came over and indicated there would be time to handle the bills.

Some state senators were attempting to change reports from conference committee, comprised of members of both chambers who compromise on bills. Those proposals came in as late as 10:30 p.m., Bosma said.

He also questioned the Senate's decision not to lengthen its Tuesday session. "We were here all day yesterday and our Senate colleagues weren't. We were available all day today while they doing their honoring resolutions," Bosma said.

In the Senate on Wednesday night, the rules committee had already held its last session. At 11:59 p.m., the full Senate had one bill -- the Muncie schools bill -- remaining. It never got there.

In the past, the legislature has literally stopped the clock at 11:59 p.m. Long said he didn't want to play the clock game.

Holcomb's directive

Meanwhile, from his office on the main floor of the Statehouse, Gov. Eric Holcomb was watching the Senate and House sessions.

At the request of Senate Republicans, Holcomb wrote a hastily-composed directive reading, "Pursuant to the Governor's directive, Adjournment Sine Die pursuant to IC 2-2: 1-1-3 is extended until 1 a.m. March 15, 2018." The message was on a "Senate Motion" form usually reserved for a motion by Long. However, there was a line drawn through Long's name and replaced with a handwritten "Governor Holcomb."

Holcomb also signed the directive. No such motion was sent to the House.

"There was scrambling around here at the end," Bosma said. "There was a proposal that we try to have some gubernatorial decree and extend the session. None of us had ever heard of it, so clearly it wasn't something we were going to try to do that wasn't clearly allowed by the rules."

Senate Democrats, led by Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, wanted time for their attorney to explore the legality of the governor's action.

Long instead suggested the Senate "close up shop." Long acknowledged that House members would point fingers at his decision to not work late on Tuesday.

"I hate to see this as the last session in which I've been involved, to see something like this break down," Long said. "But it's a lesson learned that you have to get your business done and you can't wait until the last minute on the conference committee reports and expect them to be passed.

"I want to apologize for the chaotic finish to the session," he added.

Midnight came. The electronic calendar on the House wall turned from Wednesday to Thursday.

Within 10 minutes, Bosma also called for adjournment. A handful of bills from the rules committee didn't get to the floor, including Holcomb's two Next Level items and the Muncie schools bill.

No legislation was approved by either chamber after the midnight deadline.