Democrats compromise, return to Ind. Statehouse

Democratic members of the Indiana House of Representatives were scheduled to return to the Statehouse in Indianapolis on Monday following their five-week exile in a Comfort Suites hotel in Urbana, Ill.

The House Democrats were scheduled to be in the House chamber by 5 p.m. — allowing a quorum to do business — something that has not been achieved since Feb. 21. According to a press release issued by the House Democrats, a compromise between House Speaker Brian Bosma and House Minority Leader Patrick Bauer was finally reached.

“Today we can announce compromises that are great steps forward for working Hoosiers. The principled stand by House Democrats forced concessions by the House Republicans that reflected the concerns expressed by so many people who came to the Statehouse in recent weeks,” Bauer said in the release.

Bauer further said although the compromises are not perfect, the House
Democrats are optimistic about continuing to find common ground with Bosma and the House Republicans.

While in exile, the House Democrats, in addition to not accepting their $152-a-day pay, were penalized with fines of $250 a day, which were then raised to $350 a day.

Bosma said unlike previous walkouts, these fines are still on the table and as of now have not been waived. Despite their five-week absence, fines began occurring March 7.

In 1991, House Democrats set a motion to fine House Republicans for walking out of session, and in 1995 House Republicans did the same to House Democrats.

In both cases, neither party paid fines.

THE COMPROMISE
Right-to-work legislation is off the table, preserving collective bargaining rights.

The permanent ban on public employee bargaining is off the table in the House.

Enabling legislation for private takeover of public schools is off the table in the House.

Private school vouchers will be limited to 7,500 students in the first year and 15,000 in the second year, rather than the largest voucher program in the nation, which the Republicans originally wanted.

Rather than an outright ban of Project Labor Agreements, PLAs still can be included with projects passed by public referendum.

The threshold for applying the common construction wage to projects would be $250,000 for 2012 and $350,000 for 2013, rather than the $1 million threshold.