INDIANAPOLIS – Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma told his members Thursday he is moving up legislative deadlines in an effort to adjourn the session early – perhaps by March 9.
The constitutional deadline to end is March 14 but Senate President Pro Tem David Long, R-Fort Wayne, has suggested leaving early due to the smaller number of bills that are currently moving and alive than usual.
Bosma said he initially resisted but after examining what remains to be done decided it was possible.
He noted that a new process put in to try to avoid conflicting language in bills is working well and that he has encouraged legislators to move toward concurring on bills – accepting them without major change – rather than going to the lengthy conference committee process.
“I think everyone’s a bit more emotionally drained,” Bosma said about the morale of the group following the bitter fight over right-to-work. “We are in the mindset to get done and get home.”
He also compared members of the legislature to college kids, noting they will work to meet whatever the deadline is.
Bosma believes leaving a few days early might save up to $10,000 in per diem for legislators and session staff pay.
Lawmakers came to work Jan. 4, meaning the session has a maximum 51 business days. But lawmakers worked only a few Fridays, enjoyed a Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in January and took some days off around the Super Bowl.
Niki Kelly is Statehouse bureau chief for the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette.
