Several dozen people turned up at the Iowa Capitol to watch lawmakers debate a bill that would limit how public workers can negotiate their working conditions. Public galleries in the GOP-controlled Senate were nearly full by 6 p.m. Tuesday as lawmakers discussed details of a bill that would cut mandatory collective bargaining rights for public sector employees like teachers, nurses and correctional officers. Lawmakers in the Senate began debating the bill around 4 p.m.

Democrats in the Iowa Legislature have introduced dozens of proposed changes to a GOP-backed bill that would cut most collective bargaining rights for public sector employees in the state. Lawmakers filed more than 70 amendments in the Republican-majority House ahead of scheduled debate Tuesday. More than a dozen amendments were filed in the GOP-controlled Senate before debate in that chamber.

The process of reviewing all the proposed changes could take hours. It’s unclear when formal votes will take place. Republican lawmakers announced Tuesday afternoon they would also make some changes to the bill. Democrats say even with those changes, the legislation would gut the state’s collective bargaining law.