A proposed constitutional amendment that would limit state lawmakers to serving a maximum of 10 years qualified for the Nov. 6 general election ballot, an official in the secretary of state’s office said Friday. The Arkansas Term Limits committee’s ballot proposal also would limit lawmakers to serving three two-year terms as a state representative, two four-year terms as a senator or any terms that would exceed a total of 10 years in the General Assembly. The amendment wouldn’t affect members of Congress. If approved by voters, Arkansas’ legislative term limits would be the strictest in the nation, said John Mahoney, a policy specialist for the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Under the committee’s proposal, lawmakers’ service on or after Jan. 1, 1993, would be included in calculating allowable service.
The proposal wouldn’t cut short or invalidate a term for which a representative or senator was elected before its effective date on Jan. 1, 2019.
The two-year terms served once a decade by some senators after census-driven redistricting would be included in the 10-year limit.
Full Article: Proposed cap for terms gets on state ballot.