Indiana House Democratic lawmakers walked out of session earlier this week in protest of the impending right-to-work bill (a bill that if enacted would prohibit employers from requiring employees to belong to a union or pay the equivalent of a union due to the union).
After multiple attempts to call the Indiana House to order, House Speaker Brian Bosma has levied fines of $1,000 per day against every absent member who intentionally prevents a quorum.
Indiana Farm Bureau Director of State Government Relations Bob Kraft says because the House is currently in short session – they must adjourn by March 14, 2012. “We have not quite two full months to conduct business,” he says, ”And that means for a bill to be heard and passed in both houses and for a conference committee to be convened to work out any difference between the House passed and Senate passed version of the bill.”
Kraft tells Brownfield there are a few issues pertaining to agriculture that are awaiting action. One of those, he says has amendments to the corn checkoff law in Indiana. Kraft says those were actually heard in the agriculture committee on Tuesday because that committee hearing was announced last week. As a result, he says, “They were able to hold the hearing, conduct business and take votes.” The corn checkoff bill was able to make it out of committee but now is awaiting action on the floor of the House.
Kraft says it isn’t the only one, either. There are other bills that are not being given a hearing or hearings cannot be formally announced on the House floor that now lie in limbo.
He notes the Indiana Senate has been conducting business as usual.
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