HCSHJR67--TERMLIMITSFORMEMBERSOFTHEGENERALASSEMBLY
SPONSOR: McGaugh
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonElectionsbyavoteof10to1with1votingpresent.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstitutefor
HJR67.
Currently,membersoftheGeneralAssemblycanservenomorethan
eightyearstotalinanyonechamberofthelegislature,normore
than16totalinbothchambers.
BeginningDecember5,2030,uponvoterapproval,this
constitutional amendmentwouldremovethesinglechamber
prohibition,allowingmembersoftheGeneralAssemblytoserveno
morethan16yearstotalineitherchamberofthelegislature.
Theresolutionalsoprohibitsanypersonfromservingmorethan
fouryearsasSpeakeroftheHouseofRepresentatives andmorethan
fouryearsasPresidentProTemoftheSenate.
ThisbillissimilartoHJR69(2024).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythattermlimitsincreasethepowerof
politicalleadershipandlobbyistsattheexpenseofthe
institutionalknowledgeofthemembersservinginthelegislature.
Someofthesupposedbenefitsoftermlimits,likeincreasing
diversityamongmembers,nevermaterialized. Careerpublicservice
bringsmanyadvantages,inthesamewaycareerexperienceinany
otherfieldwould.Termlimitsencourageelectedofficialsto
constantlyseeknewopportunitiestoserveratherthanallowing
themtofocusonexcellinginthesameroleforalongtime.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative McGaugh;
MarilynMcLeod,LeagueofWomenVotersOfMissouri;Nancy
Copenhaver;andSamuelH.Lee.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythat75%ofvoters
supportedtermlimitswhentheywereenactedin1992.Termlimits
bringnewideasandfreshbloodintolegislativebodies.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwasArnieC.Dienoff. Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.