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HR 73

Amending the permanent rules of the House of Representatives relating to quorum and attendance to remove seniority from certain members due to multiple absences.

89th Legislature, 1st Called Session (2025) Introduced by Terri Leo-Wilson

HR 73 strips House seniority from legislators with multiple absences to enforce attendance and accountability for missed sessions.

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#legislature(i0520) #resolutions--rules(i0660)
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Bill Summary · HR 73

Legislative bill overview

HR 73 proposes to amend the permanent rules of the House of Representatives to penalize members with multiple absences by removing their seniority. This would create a mechanism to address chronic absenteeism among legislators by stripping accumulated parliamentary privileges and committee positions from absent members.

Why is this important

Seniority in legislative bodies determines committee assignments, leadership roles, and legislative influence—fundamental levers of power. Removing seniority as a penalty for absences directly affects a member's ability to represent constituents and advance legislation. This rule change could reshape internal House dynamics and establish new accountability standards for attendance.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition and threshold: The bill's text doesn't specify what constitutes "multiple absences"—whether it's 5, 20, or 50 missed sessions, and whether excused absences (medical, official duty) count equally with unexcused ones.
  • Due process concerns: Removing seniority is a significant institutional punishment; unclear whether affected members receive notice, hearings, or appeal rights before losing accumulated privileges.
  • Partisan application risk: Attendance-based penalties could become weaponized along party lines if applied inconsistently or used to punish opposition members disproportionately.
  • Practical effectiveness: Seniority loss may not deter chronic absenteeism if underlying causes (health, personal crisis, district demands) remain unaddressed.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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