NCSL Reports on Term Limits

A report released today at the National Conference of State Legislatures says term limits make legislatures less effective.

15 states have enacted term limits laws since 1992 with the aim of having a more diverse legislature and preventing lawmakers from becoming career politicians.

But one of the co-authors of the report, Jennifer Drage Bowser, says legislatures didn’t get more diverse, and that being term-limited usually encourages lawmakers to run for other offices.

“Many legislators serve up to the limit in the house and run for the senate.  We even see the opposite in some cases.  A lot of legislators go to local office and county office.  They run for congress, they run for statewide office, they’re appointed into the executive branch, they turn to lobbying.  It’s not the job that people perceive it to be.  Even if in your state the legislature only meets for three months out of the year, it’s very much a full time, round the year job.”

Bowser says this makes it difficult for many lawmakers to return to their private careers.

The other major finding of the report is that legislatures lose power to the executive branch because there are fewer experienced members with the know-how to challenge the governor, when dealing with complicated legislation like a budget.  Lawmakers developed fewer personal relationships with colleagues which the report found increased partisan bickering.

The annual state legislature conference is happening in Nashville this week.  Organizers expect 6-thousand people will attend.