Ind. Senate resumes hearings despite stalled House

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indiana Senate is resuming committee work on bills even as the boycott by House Democrats has stalled legislative action in that chamber.

The Senate's criminal code committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday for hearings on four bills that earlier cleared the House. Those include proposals making it a crime to possess or sell the synthetic marijuana known as spice or K2 and another banning all drivers from sending or reading text messages.

Several Democratic senators have voiced support for the House boycott, but since they hold only 13 of the Senate's 50 seats they aren't able to deny a quorum for legislative business like the House Democrats can.