New Jersey Lawmaker Wants to Put a Stop to Legislator Absenteeism

A Republican legislator in New Jersey has introduced a bill that would reduce the amount of time a legislator could be absent before losing their seat.

Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz hopes to decrease the amount of unexcused absences a legislator can have from 10 to five before losing their seat, according to a Huffington Post.

In the article, Munoz said she was inspired to introduce the legislation after Wisconsin Senate Democrats left the state in 2011 in order to block action on Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's (R) proposals regarding collective bargaining and public employees.

"We have been elected by the citizens of New Jersey and represent them," Munoz told HuffPost. "If we don't show up because we do not agree with something we are not doing our jobs. Sometimes we have to make tough decisions and I don't think leaving the state is the way to handle it."

Munoz also said the bill would keep a situation like the one involving 25-year-old

Bikas has been absent from his duties as a legislator, after being reprimanded for a dress code infraction in January.

Bikas told Patch that he was told he no longer had a district to represent and that the dress code didn't factor into the reason he had been absent.

Bikas does not plan to seek reelection.