Nine Republican Senators Vote Against Right To Work

The Republican-controlled Senate in Indiana passed right to work legislation contained in SB 269. That comes as no surprise. What is surprising is that nine of the Senate's 37 Republicans joined the chamber's 13 Democrats in voting against it. The nine Republicans voting no were: Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville; Richard Bray, R-Martinsville; Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso; Johnny Nugent, R-Lawrenceburg; Sen. Sue Landske, R-Cedar Lake; Brent Steele, R-Bedford; Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville; Brent Waltz, R-Greenwood; and John Waterman, R-Shelburn.

The Republican-controlled House finished up second reading action on its version of right to work contained in HB 1001. Judging by the largely party-line votes rejecting amendments offered by Democrats, it appears the House Republican caucus is more supportive of right to work than the Senate Republican caucus. The Democrats caucused as soon as work on the bill was completed today. It remains to be seen whether they will resume their boycott in an effort to block a third reading vote on the bill. They are angry because they weren't allowed to offer more than the dozen or so amendments they offered today, including an unconstitutional attempt to leave it to the state's voters to determine at a referendum whether right to work should be enacted into law.