At least for the time being, fleeing the state to prevent voting on anti-union legislation has been effective enough for Democratic state senators in Wisconsin that Indiana legislators are now doing the same thing. Thirty-eight of 40 Democratic state representatives failed to show up for this morning’s House session (the two others were there for strategic procedural purposes), and word is they’re headed to Illinois and/or Kentucky. The bill they’re trying to stop would reportedly “bar unions and companies from negotiating a contract that requires non-union members to kick-in fees for representation.” If this “fleeing the state” thing keeps up, Republicans are going to have to start getting creative about securing a quorum for these votes. Maybe they can invite everyone to a birthday party on the House floor and spring the vote on them then.
Democrats trigger Statehouse showdown [Indy Star]
Update: Republican governor Mitch Daniels announced this afternoon that he will not send the state police after the absent Democratic lawmakers — “I’m not going to divert a single trooper from their job of protecting the Indiana public, I trust that peoples’ consciences will bring them back to work” — and would prefer that the bill in question be shelved. [Indy Star, Political Wire]
