Legislating in absentia?

The PA State House has officially changed its voting rules to let legislators cast votes while not actually present in the chambers -- they may turn their proxy over to a party leader, as long as they are somewhere in the vicinity.

How can this be good for voters? Will votes be cast without anybody hearing the arguments that might be presented from the floor? Will those making votes that they might be ashamed of hide their faces and/or blame their superiors?

If this is really about legislators needing to get out of the chambers during a long session, then I'm with John Grogan: let's legislate potty breaks!