Amending the House Rules of Procedure to authorize additional constitutionally compliant, proportional penalties for members absent without leave for purpose of impeding the action of the House that do not unfairly impair members' representative functions.

HR 128 amends Texas House rules to impose specific penalties on members who absent themselves without permission to disrupt legislative proceedings. It directly affects House members who deliberately skip sessions to hinder the House's work. Key provisions include a daily fine of $1,500 (three times the standard $500 per diem), reimbursement for sergeant-at-arms costs to secure attendance, loss of committee leadership roles, and potential seniority recalculation for repeated absences. Penalties apply only when absence is proven to impede House business, and members retain constitutional rights to representation.