× Thanks for reading! Log in to continue. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account. No credit card required. Log in Sign up {{featured_button_text}}

INDIANAPOLIS | House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, may take the extraordinary step of replacing members on the House Judiciary Committee to ensure the marriage amendment wins committee approval and gets a vote by the full House.

"I've said one person shouldn't make the decision; we've got to figure out if a couple people ought to make the decision for all Hoosiers," Bosma said. "The speaker, of course, has the power to move bills and has complete autonomy over committee membership."

The rules of the Republican-controlled Indiana House authorize the speaker to change a committee's membership at any time, though Bosma said he's never done it before to advance legislation, and he only could recall seeing it done once during his 28 years in the House.

"Our rules clearly provide for it," Bosma said. "Members serve at the pleasure of the speaker."

At least three of the nine Republicans on the Judiciary Committee are believed to be considering voting with the four committee Democrats against the marriage amendment, which would kill it.

State Rep. Greg Steuerwald, R-Avon, the committee chairman, did not hold a vote as expected Monday following nearly four hours of expert and public testimony on the issue.