Five weeks after walking out of the state capitol in a battle over union rights and school vouchers, Indiana’s state Democrats have returned. All but three Democrats fled the state on February 22, over a bill that would have prevented a requirement on employees in the private sector to pay union dues or fees. Democrats were also angered over a proposed school voucher bill. They returned, said Representative B. Patrick Bauer, after the Republicans agreed to make several minor changes, including the withdrawal of the union fee bill and a limit on the extent of the voucher program. “This timeout gave millions of Hoosiers a real voice in their state government,” said Bauer. Republican governor Mitch Daniels was predictably not thrilled. “The only thing ‘radical’ about this session has been the decision by one caucus to walk off the job for five weeks,” he said. “Now that it’s finally over, let’s make up the lost time.”
