INDIANAPOLIS | State Rep. Chet Dobis, D-Merrillville, has been forced out of his leadership position in the Indiana House.
House Speaker Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, confirmed to The Times Tuesday night he has removed Dobis as House Speaker pro tempore, the No. 2 post in Democrat-led chamber.
Bauer said Dobis' vote against an Illiana Expressway committee report supported by every other Democratic representative last Thursday was the reason he stripped Dobis of his position.
"It's a tradition that leadership support the committee chair on a vote," Bauer said. "He knew that when he made that vote, so I know it's not a surprise."
The committee report would have required the proposed Illiana Expressway, and any other public-private partnership, to be approved by every local government it touches before work could begin. Dobis said that requirement would significantly slow the approval process for the proposed east-west highway, which would connect Interstate 65 in southern Lake County with Interstate 55 in Illinois.
Dobis' vote with Republicans on the report led to a 49-49 tie, and the report wasn't approved, killing the legislation.
Dobis told The Times he had no comment on the change in leadership because Bauer had yet to directly tell him he is out.
"He's got to give me something in writing or at least tell me, but there's been no communication," Dobis said. "At this point, it's a rumor."
In fact, while Dobis was speaking with a Times reporter in the narrow hallway behind the House chamber, Bauer exited his office and squeezed past Dobis to enter the House, saying not a word.
"How do you get closer than that?" Dobis asked.
Bauer said he left telephone messages for Dobis informing him of the leadership change.
State Rep Earl Harris, D-East Chicago, has been promoted from deputy speaker pro tempore to Dobis' former position of speaker pro tempore. State Rep. Trent Van Haaften, D-Mount Vernon, was given Harris' position and already was presiding over the House chamber Tuesday night.
Harris said in his new position he plans to focus on finding regionwide solutions to problems such as rail transportation, the closed Cline Avenue bridge and the Illiana Expressway. Harris supported the committee report presented by state Rep. Terri Austin, D-Anderson.
"There are some things that will go in there that we'll probably have to change or clean up, but the effort should still go on," Harris said.
Bauer and Dobis entered the House together as representatives in 1970. They've battled for leadership positions when Democrats have controlled the chamber.
The speaker said Dobis has "done a great job as a legislator" and "is very good at what he does." He plans to continue to consult Dobis on legislative issues, particularly the Illiana.
"I respect him as a legislator and as a person," Bauer said.
As such, Dobis will be allowed to keep his small office adjacent to the House floor and his first-row seat on the Democratic side of the chamber, despite no longer being a part of the House Democratic leadership, Bauer said.
