Ind. House Leaders Meet But No Deal Reached to End Boycott

(With additional reporting from Indiana Public Broadcasting's Brandon Smith and The Associated Press)

House Minority Leader Pat Bauer returned to Indianapolis Wednesday and met with House Speaker Brian Bosma for nearly an hour, but their talks ended with no agreement on ending the week-long Statehouse standoff.

Bauer had two other House Democrats with him in the meeting, which also was attended by four other majority Republicans. While no resolution was reached at the meeting, Bauer said the Democrats are a step or two closer to returning.

"We're going to continue to try to see if they'll remove some of the anti-worker bills and really this voucher bill," Bauer said.

Most House Democrats have been staying in Urbana, Ill., since last Tuesday, when they began boycotting the House to derail labor and education bills they're against by denying the House the quorum needed to conduct business. The boycott already killed a "right-to-work'' bill that unions opposed. Bosma said he didn't really hear anything in the meeting he didn't already know. Discussions on the voucher bill included talk of compromise on capping the number of students in the program and lowering the income level to be eligible.

"Their list of issues hasn't really changed, and our response hasn't really changed," Bosma said. "Although some middle ground on a couple of the issues was at least explored."

Meanwhile, a member of the Indiana Senate says he's optimistic despite the rhetoric from the House Minority Leader following his meeting with Bosma.

Democrat State Senator Greg Taylor of Indianapolis said it is always positive when people talk face to face, but he said there will need to further room for compromise.

"I think there's going to have to be some give and take on both sides," Taylor said. "People people don't recognize these bills just because they pass the house. They still have to come over to the senate. I'm sure we'll be watching what's going on in the house as well as what we're going to do in the senate. There's still a long way to go."

Taylor was in Urbana Wednesday to check on the progress of caucus meetings among House Democrats. He said House Speaker Bosma has put himself into a position where he'll have to prove to his caucus that he's willing to talk.

But House Democrat Craig Fry of Mishawaka wasn't as optimistic, saying Bosma cannot be trusted.

"Even if he makes a deal, even if it's signed in blood, it doesn't mean anything," Fry said. "He's reneged on almost every deal he's ever made."

Fry maintains that the 30 plus Democrats will remain in Urbana as long as they need to be. He said it is necessary, given the Republican's radical agenda. The Democratic Party is paying for hotel rooms, but food and other expenses are out of their own pocket.