A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly necessary to conduct the business of that group.
A quorum may be a majority, some number greater than a majority, or some number less than a majority.
The number of members that constitutes a quorum differs depending on the assembly and is usually provided for in that assembly’s governing documents (for example, its constitution, charter, or bylaws). The quorum may also be set by law.
Apparently, in the WI Senate, 20 members are required to have a quorum and not just a majority of 17.
Although I understand the nature of a quorum I've seen several different threads talking about what Wisconsin's Senate's quorum rules are. I have no doubt I've gotten it wrong, but I'm still trying to search for some understanding of what the pubbies are up against in fighting the dems absentee tactic.
The one thing that is clear is that they can require that they return and they can assess fines. Those fines ought to be steep. They ought to hurt, reflective of how much this stunt has cost the taxpayers, the schools, law enforcement, etc.