House Democrats refused to come to the House floor again tonight, saying they needed more time to prepare an amendment seeking a public referendum on the controversial "right to work" legislation.

House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, told House Minority Leader B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, that he was breaking his word that Democrats would allow the debate to go forward today on amendments to the bill.

Bauer said Democrats were willing to come to the House floor to work on any other bill other than House Bill 1001, the right to work legislation.

But, he said, they need more time to prepare an amendment on a referendum. He said Democrats only learned last night that the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency had been asked -- Bauer believes by Republicans - to research the constitutionality of a referendum and had decided it was not.