Sponsors (177)
The bill increases continuity of representation by permitting limited proxy voting with transparent documentation and Member control, but it preserves quorum limits and creates risks of diluted direct oversight, procedural disputes, and modest administrative costs — a trade-off between maintaining voting participation during absences and protecting direct electoral accountability and institutional quorums.
Members of the House who must be absent (for childbirth, parental leave, or other qualifying absences) can have another Member cast their floor or committee votes for a limited period, preserving constituent representation and reducing missed votes.
The bill creates a clear, documented, and public process (signed designations, Clerk verification, public lists, and documented committee letters) for proxy use, improving transparency and recordkeeping about who is voting on behalf of absent Members.
Designating Members retain the ability to alter or revoke proxy designations at any time, preserving Member control and flexibility to resume in-person participation.
Proxy votes are not counted toward floor or committee quorums, so many absences can still prevent the House or its committees from conducting business and reduce constituents' influence over whether the House proceeds.
Constituents may have less direct oversight because another Member — not their elected representative — casts committee or floor proxy votes, which can dilute accountability for important legislative decisions.
Relying on another Member to execute precise voting instructions risks miscommunication, inadvertent errors, and disputes (including questions over whether written instructions existed), potentially producing contested votes or procedural challenges.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Allows House Members who give birth or whose spouse gives birth to designate another Member to cast their floor and committee votes and be recorded present for up to 12 weeks, with written proxy rules.
Introduced January 9, 2025 by Brittany Pettersen · Last progress January 9, 2025
Allows House Members who have given birth or whose spouse has given birth to designate another Member to cast their floor and Committee of the Whole votes and to be recorded present for up to 12 weeks after the birth (or earlier if a health care provider certifies a pregnancy-related medical condition or unsafe travel). It also lets those Members designate committee proxies for the same period, sets rules for written designations and revocations, requires Clerk verification and public posting of active proxies, and limits proxy use so proxy votes do not count toward quorums. Non-voting Delegates and the Resident Commissioner remain barred from casting full House floor votes and may only serve as proxies for peers in their own non-voting delegation.