Wisconsin State Assembly Republicans were hopeful on Friday that they could pass the controversial anti-union bill that stalled in the State Senate after all 14 Democrats fled the state to avoid a vote. The Assembly met Friday, and Republican Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald said he hoped a vote on the legislation would come later in the day.

The controversial proposal would end collective-bargaining rights for public employees, while also requiring them to pay more for their pension and health benefit plans. Local law enforcement, fire fighters, state troopers and inspectors would be exempt.

With all 14 Democrats missing from the floor in the state Senate, Republicans are one member shy of bringing the legislation to the floor for a vote. Republicans, however, hold a wider margin in the Assembly than they do in the Senate. With 57 Republicans and an Independent who has indicated support for the bill, there are enough members in the Assembly to call for a vote.

Still, state Assembly Democrats have indicated they will fight the bill. According to MSNBC, "Assembly Democratic Minority Leader Peter Barca shouted from the floor after his microphone was shut off that Democrats plan to fight to the 'bitter end' to stop the bill."

"This is wrong!" Barca shouted. "Desperately wrong and we will not stand for it!"

With the vote stalled in the State Senate, Republican lawmakers are trying to get the Democrats to come back to Madison. Senate Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald's, whose father is the new head of the Wisconsin State Patrol, has asked Republican Gov. Scott Walker to send two troops to the home of Mark Miller, the top state Senate Democrat.

The Associated Press reports: "The Wisconsin Constitution prohibits police from arresting state lawmakers while the Legislature is in session, except in cases of felonies, breaches of the peace or treason. Fitzgerald said he's not looking to have Miller arrested, but he wants to send a signal about how serious things are becoming in the Capitol."

Democrats have said they wouldn't return to Wisconsin before Saturday.

Protests have been going on at the State Capitol building for four days now, with crowd estimates of up to 25,000 people.

The New York Times reports: "The protests along the Capitol square have grown enormous. On Friday, Richard Trumka, the president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O., was expected to appear at a rally, while counterdemonstrators said they were planning their own rally over the weekend." 

Walker, who was elected to his first term as governor in November, proposed the legislation as Wisconsin tries to curb a ballooning budget deficit. The state currently faces a $137 million budget shortfall.

For his part, Walker has remained far from silent over the matter. On Friday morning, he appeared on the Fox News morning show "Fox & Friends," where he dared the 14 Democrats to return to Madison.

"I'm actually going to show up and do my job, unlike those state senators," Walker told host Steve Doocy at the end of the interview. "I'm in the Capitol doing my job. I'm daring them to come back and do what they're supposed to do, what they were elected to do and what I hope they will do by the end of the day."