Brian Bosma, God love his Republican soul, is a wimp.
If I were the Speaker of the (Indiana) House, I'd be all conciliatory with the Democrats. I'd do anything I could to get their asses back in seats.
And then I'd put State Police at the doors of the chamber and tell them, this vote is happening right now, and nobody leaves until it's over. My authority? The Indiana Constitution, Article 4 Section 11, explicitly provides:
Two-thirds of each House shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may meet, adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members.
"Compel" means that they may issue warrants to the State Police for the arrest of absent members and force them to attend the session. Or, I suppose, to place the police at the doors and refuse to let members leave once in the chamber, as suggested above.
Play hardball, Mr. Bosma. The voters will tell you in November if you did the right thing.
