Indiana House Minority Leader Patrick Bauer says Democrats are not planning another walkout.Speculation about a second boycott swirled when Democrats met behind closed doors Thursday morning, delaying House business. Bauer said Democrats were discussing concerns raised about the lack of public testimony during committee hearings this week, but not plotting a second boycott. The Democrats spent five weeks in Illinois in protest of Republican-led bills dealing with labor and education issues. They ended their walkout Monday. On the House floor Thursday afternoon, Bauer voiced his support for a rule change that will give House committees more time to consider Senate bills. "This Democratic caucus is here to continue to try to work to moderate some of these initiatives and try to help educate the impact they have on the people you’ve seen. You’ve seen them in your hometowns, you’ve seen them here in Indianapolis," he said. Bauer and Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma also met behind closed doors to discuss fines that were levied against Democrats for the days they were absent. Bosma has said he won’t rescind the fines.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.
