Prohibit a person from serving as a member of the Legislature for more than 16 years during the person’s lifetime.

    This proposal would propose a constitutional amendment to prohibit a person from serving as a member of the Legislature for more than 16 years during the person’s lifetime.¹ The Commission discussed this proposal at great length and considered the testimony received and personal viewpoints of each commissioner. The Commission looked at similar provisions in other states for guidance and debated the well-balanced pros and cons of this proposal, which was reflected in the slim, 4-3 margin by which the Commission adopted the motion to adopt this proposal.

     One argument against the term limits in this proposal is that it is unnecessary, as over the past decade a sizeable turnover in each chamber has occurred naturally. Over the last decade the turnover of legislators in the House of Representatives was over 50%, and in the Senate more than 33%. As noted previously in this Final Report, over 20 individuals will take the oath of office to become members of the Hawaii State Legislature as a result of the General Election of 2022. However, an argument for this proposal is that people feel a proposal like this is necessary and that a limit on the duration of holding state elected office may reduce the potential for corruption and allow for the periodic infusion of fresh ideas and services to constituents.

     The Commission finds that this proposal, if passed by the Legislature, would not go on the ballot until the General Election of 2024. The Commission also finds that out of fairness to legislators serving in the Legislature as of the General Election of 2024 or elected to the Legislature before or during the General Election of 2024, the prohibition should not apply to those terms. Therefore, the 16-year term limit in this proposal would apply to those legislators elected at the General Election of 2026 and thereafter.

1. Hawaii’sVoterTurnoutPlungedIn2022Election-HonoluluCivilBeat. Accessed 16 Nov. 2022. ↩︎