Democrats' return revives schedule

Monday’s return of the Indiana House Democrats from Illinois ended a five-week standstill at the General Assembly.

Now, with a quorum to conduct business, legislators have until April 29 to consider countless bills and agendas proposed earlier in the session — including the passage of the 2011-2013 state budget.

In his State of the State address in January, Gov. Mitch Daniels presented his budget guidelines as he addressed legislators, guests and the media in the House Chamber of the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis.

Although Daniels said he would welcome amendments to his initial proposal, he set clear guidelines for those with wishes to make changes.

They included no tax increases, a structural balance and a necessity to “stay in the black at all times.” Daniels also mentioned tax payer refunds.

“When the day comes again when state reserves exceed 10 percent of annual needs, it will be time to stop collecting taxes and leave them with the people they belong to,” Daniels said.

Daniels said the passage of the state budget was and still is one of the top priorities of the 117th Indiana General Assembly.

Indiana’s legislative body has five weeks to demonstrate bipartisanship and get the Statehouse schedule back on track.

“It (the November elections) was not an endorsement of a political party,” Daniels said. “By itself, it accomplished nothing, but it threw the door open to great accomplishment. Starting tonight, we must step through that door together,” Daniels said during the address.

When the House Democrats fled to Urbana, Ill., the budget came to a screeching halt in the House, where it currently remains.

“House Democrats took off and stopped process completely,” said Peg Leish, press secretary for the Indiana Senate Democrats. “Three hundred amendments have been offered so far and work on budget bill will begin tonight (Tuesday).”

Friday’s Indiana Daily Student story will examine the legislative process of the budget bill (HB 1001) from the governor’s proposal to its approval from both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly.