Time Bill Might Hinge On Mending Hurt Feelings

INDIANAPOLIS -- Sponsors of a daylight-saving time bill are concerned that it could be derailed because Democrats feel stung by comments the governor made about a separate issue, RTV6's Norman Cox reported Thursday.

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Daylight-Saving Time Bill: See How Senators Voted Wednesday

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With a 28-22 vote on Wednesday, the state Senate passed a bill that would mandate daylight-saving time in Indiana. The House then was set to consider it Wednesday night.

But the House vote was postponed when sponsors became worried that some Democrats would vote against daylight-saving time in retaliation for comments Gov. Mitch Daniels made Wednesday about a state budget bill.

The budget bill's passage seems assured because Republicans, who control both chambers, have reached a deal on it. A reporter on Wednesday asked Daniels whether he was disappointed that the deal wasn't reached in a bipartisan fashion.

"The Democratic Party is entitled to take a position of opposition or even obstruction, and I guess it wasn't a surprise," Daniels responded. "I will say that if there had been any element of bipartisan interest on their part, a stronger budget might have been possible."

Democrats said they were angry about the comment and countered that Republicans had excluded them from budget talks.

Sponsors of the daylight-saving time bill decided to move the House vote to Thursday so things could cool off, Cox reported.

Since the comment in question, Daniels issued a statement that said he didn't know how his remarks could be misinterpreted.

"I sincerely regret if anyone did so and took offense," Daniels said in the statement.