Democrats: Judge halts fines for three boycotting lawmakers - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

According to House Democrats, Judge David Dryer has granted a temporary restraining order to prevent the imposition of fines on three representatives.

Democrats are appealing the House Speaker's decision to start fining them $1,000 a day as they boycott legislative proceedings over the contentious "right to work" bill.

House Democrats say Bill Crawford and Vanessa Summers, both representing Indianapolis, and Shelli Vandenburgh, who represents Crown Point, were included in the order. It isn't clear at this point if Democrats will try to add more names to that list.

House Democrats face fines of up to $70,000 as 35 Democrats refused to enter the chamber for the second straight day. The cost is more than just money.

For the third consecutive day, the hallway outside the House of Representatives was boisterous. In the midst of the chanting crowd was a shaved heard or two and more than a few teamsters wearing T-shirts with the Roman numerals XLVI with a line through them - a nod to the upcoming Super Bowl.

"We don't want to have to do this but if we are pushed to do it we will do it. If we have to handbill protest, bring trucks in like we have, during the Super Bowl, we will," said Jeff Combs, Local 135, Indianapolis.

"It is an atmosphere of threat and intimidation and it's not the best place to try and make law but we will not be intimidated out of doing what people believe is right," said House Speaker Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis).

That may not be the only casualty of this session.

"There are the bills they have ignored, 21 bills on second and third read. These are the bills they have ignored and have said they would be sacrificed," said House Minority Leader Pat Bauer (D-South Bend).

"This whole legislative session is not just about right to work. It's about sex trafficking, mass transit, smoking ban," said Bosma.

Democrats have said they would return to their seats and act on any bill except right to work but the speaker has demanded they act on right to work first.

"Let the people decide in the voting booth in November whether we are right or wrong. Whether they agree with us or not," said Sen. David Long (R-Fort Wayne).

"You heard the Long of it, now you are hearing the short of it," Bauer joked.

Republicans had hoped the other bills would leverage action on right to work but that has failed. Frustration over the ten percent of the state's population represented in the hallways ability to disrupt the agenda for the states remaining 90 percent is mounting.

But Bauer has his own troubles. Five members of his caucus have already defected and are showing up for work in the House Chamber every day. If two more decide the fines of $1,000 a day is just too high of a price to pay, Republicans may get that vote yet.

For now, all Bauer will say is they may return to the House floor on Friday. The House is scheduled to gavel in at 9:00 am. We'll be there to let you know if the Democrats show up.

Meantime, the Senate plans to move forward on its "right to work" bill.