Also, to prevent people from trying to get removals for a spurt of inactivity weeks or months past due, if a Senator returns from a period of inactivity, and nobody brings to my attention that period of inactivity in the first 72 hours from when the Senator returned, the Senator cannot be removed for that inactivity.

Based upon a number of requests, we've taken a look at the present leave of absence (LOA) rules as well as the corresponding inactivity removal rules and agree that they are in need of some revamping and simplification. People work hard in game to advance to higher office, but with that higher office comes the expectation of at least some level of activity. It's unfair for a completely inactive player to have a lock on an elected office until the next election which could be months away when we have so many quality active players in the game.

Beginning effective immediately, there will no longer be official LOAs. Instead, a straight 14 day inactivity removal rule is being implemented. This is a compromise among the 7 day inactivity without an LOA, the maximum 21 day inactivity theoretically possible under the old rules and what we believe to be a reasonable standard for activity necessary for the game to run efficiently.

We've been rather fortunate to have had a rather active and dedicated player base recently obviating the necessity of rashes of activity related removals. We'd like to see this trend continue. The 14 day standard can be modified if we see problems or gaming of the system, but we thought it reasonable and fair to begin with a standard that is somewhat close to what is in place presently.

Here's a summary of the changes:

1. LOAs no longer are officially recognized. We'll maintain a thread in the Help Desk in which you can courteously notify your fellow players and admins that you might not be around for the weekend or the like, but they have no in game effect.

2. You no longer can hide behind an LOA for missed votes or otherwise being inactive prior to removal. We understand that RL issues arise from time to time and that's certainly part of life. On the other hand, this is first and foremost a game, the continued success of which relies upon an active player base. Missed votes and the like occur with RL politicians from time to time for various reasons. We expect that they'll occur here.

3. The 14 day activity removal rule applies to all elected officials (explicitly, the President, VP, Governors, Senators and Lieutenant Governors).

4. The 14 day activity clock stops during election periods and other official game breaks and pauses.

5. As for the short transition period, all LOAs posted prior to this announcement remain in effect. The maximum LOA possible with such a preexisting announcement is, however, 14 days (not up to the maximum prior 21 days).