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Friday, February 24, 2006

Ind Law - Rep. Bauer, if elected House Speaker, would bring back House health care perks

That is the speculation. In a day of amazing stories, this may be the topper. And it is not yet 8:00 a.m.

Matt Tully today, in his Indianapolis Star political column, reports:

The tips had been coming in for several days.

House Democratic leader Pat Bauer, the tipsters said, has told his rank and file he plans to resurrect the notorious lifetime health plan for ex-legislators if he is elected speaker after the November elections.

With all the trouble Republicans are having lately, it's very likely Democrats will take control of the House later this year, and that Bauer will be reinstated as House speaker.

So this was a tip worth checking out.

But would Bauer really revive the health benefit, which covers retired lawmakers, their kids and even ex-spouses? After House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, won such praise for spiking the program, would Bauer dare to bring it back?

I stepped into Bauer's office this week to ask those questions. I expected him to say something like, "That's a bunch of baloney."

He didn't.

More from the column:
"Bosma, what he's done will probably get a court test," Bauer said, dodging.

Court test? From whom?

"It will have to be someone that served and retires," Bauer said, pointing to House members who, unless they retire in 2006, won't have access to the lifetime health-care subsidy.

Is someone planning to sue?

"I've heard grumblings," Bauer said cryptically. * * *

Bauer pointed to Article 1, Section 23 of the state constitution, which says laws must treat everybody equally. His point was that the Senate has largely kept the health plan in place, while the House has not.

Really! What laws? This was all done by memo of the Speaker and Pro Tem. The law that exists authorizing the program is very general. (And without that law still being on the books, there could be no talk of bringing back the program.)

Tully's column concludes:

Finally, I asked my question another way. Did Bauer, as many in the Statehouse halls say, talk some House Democrats out of retiring by vowing to restore their lifetime health benefits?

"It's much more complicated than that," he said, frustratingly.

No, Pat, it's very simple. All you need to do is say this: "I won't bring the perk back."

I gave him several chances to say that as we talked.

He didn't.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on February 24, 2006 07:35 AM
Posted to Indiana Government | Indiana Law | Legislative Benefits