Cochran absent from House Floor 80% so far this session; lawmaker cites ‘illness in the family’

Democratic West Maui Rep. Elle Cochran has the second-highest rate of full-day absences so far this year at 80%, second-only to Republican Rep. Gene Ward, who has been absent every day through the 20th day of this year’s lawmaking session.

Cochran said Thursday she’s been coping with an illness in her family.

Thirty-two members of the 51-member House body had no absences, according to a House of Representatives daily session attendance sheet, updated on Feb. 18. Other House members have one to three full-day absences.

Maui Now is checking on a daily floor attendance sheet in the Senate. An email query to Senate President Ronald Kouchi is pending.

The House attendance sheet shows Cochran absent 16 out of 20 times through the 20th day of this year’s session, which began Jan. 15. Cochran attended House sessions on the first through third days, and was present, again, on the 14th day. All other days are marked as absent for the entire day and “excused” by the presiding House officer.

A random check of Cochran’s committee attendance reveals that she’s had numerous “absent and excused” from committee votes, although a full accounting of committee attendance is not immediately available.

Responding to a phone message Thursday afternoon, Cochran told Maui Now her absences were the result of an “illness in the family.” And, because of that, she has been remaining home on Maui to care for that family member.

Ward is an O‘ahu Republican, representing Portlock, Hawai‘i Kai and Kalama Valley.

In response to a Maui Now query about his absences, office manager Jillian Anderson sent email with a copy-and-paste text from a recent Civil Beat Blog. It reported that Ward had been suffering “a doozy” of “a version of sciatic nerve pain” that was making it painful for him to walk, even short distances.

Ward served in the Hawaiʻi House from 1990-1998. He later served in the US Agency for International Development Office of Democracy and Governance, and then returned to Hawaiʻi and was elected again to the state House in 2006.

In response to Maui Now questions about House rules and procedures for member attendances, House Director of Communications Cathy Lee cited House Rule No. 23. It says:

“No member shall be absent from service to the House, unless the member is sick and is unable to attend or is excused by the Speaker.”

Lee said there’s no listed maximum missed days or minimum days of attendance, and no specified penalties.

“Members who know they will be absent from Floor Session are asked to notify the Speaker’s office, but this is a courtesy,” she said.

Lee said Cochran notified the House Speaker’s Office about her absence.