Governor Mitch Daniels makes his final State of the State address.  (WIBC.com photo: Liz Thomas)

Union protesters at the Statehouse during the State of the State address (WIBC.com photo: Eric Berman)

Governor Daniels has made his own pitch to legislators for a right-to-work bill, in his final State of the State address.

Listen:

Daniels told legislators every year should include "a bold stroke" to attract jobs, and says this year's should be right-to-work.

Hundreds of angry union protesters chanted slogans in the hallway outside the House chamber during the speech, while many House Democrats extended their boycott of House action to the address. The governor referenced the walkouts this year and last obliquely, recounting a letter written by a legislative clerk in 1861, telling his parents that two lawmakers from rival parties had gone to Kentucky to fight a duel with bowie knives.

"And we think we have disagreements," Daniels quipped, before prodding Democrats to return to the floor. "When we do, I hope we'll keep them not only in state, but also in this chamber, where the people's business is supposed to be settled."

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS

As he often has, Daniels boasted of Indiana's improved position relative to other states, on the economy, education and other issues. He reeled off a string of states which have copied Indiana initiatives, and out-of-state press clippings urging their states to copy others.

While Daniels devoted more time to right-to-work than any other issue, he made brief pitches for other pieces of his agenda, including a statewide smoking ban, local government reform, and a one-time increase in the state liability cap to compensate victims of last year's State Fair stage collapse. He also urged legislators to require students be held in third grade until they can read, and to crack down on some universities' requiring additional credit hours for certain degrees.

Democrats pronounced themselves "disappointed" that Daniels stuck to his guns on right-to-work and didn't extend more of an olive branch to them. And House Minority Leader Patrick Bauer (D-South Bend) says even the non-right-to-work portions of the speech painted too rosy a picture of the state's condition.

MORE FROM WIBC NEWS:
» House Democrats Stage Another Boycott (1-10-12)
» Senior Groups Blast Right To Work (1-10-12)
» Contentious Commitee Hearing on Right to Work Bill (1-10-12)
» House Democrats' Walkout Ends (1-9-12)
» Democratic Leaders Hold Right-to-Work Hearing in Fort Wayne (1-8-12)
» House Democrats' Caucus Chair Quits Post Over Walkout (1-6-12)
» Senate Panel Approves Right-to-Work Bill (1-6-12)
» Democratic Representative Speaks on Right-to-Work (1-6-12)
» Why Is "Right-To-Work" So Controversial? (1-5-12)
» House Still Paralyzed As Democrats Continue Boycott (1-5-12)
» Another Session, Another Walkout (1-4-12)
» Daniels Outlines Final Legislative Agenda (12-16-11)
» Daniels Weighs Political Impact of Right-to-Work (12-12-11)
» Governor Not Weighing in Yet on Right to Work Bill (11-21-11)
» GOP Leaders Will Push Right-to-Work Bill (11-21-11)
» State Senator Speaks on Indiana Becoming a Right-to-Work State (11-15-11)
» Study Panel Recommends Right-to-Work Law (10-26-11)