LWV California. Pro & Con Analysis of Proposition 93. Feb 5, 2008

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA EDUCATION FUND - Feb. 5, 2008 Election

LIMITS ON LEGISLATORS’ TERMS IN OFFICE.
Initiative Constitutional Amendment.

Should the California Constitution be amended to reduce the total time an elected official may serve in the state Legislature from the current limit of 14 years (with a maximum of 6 years in the Assembly and 8 years in the Senate) to a proposed limit of 12 years without regard to the house in which the time is served?

In November 1990, California voters passed Proposition 140, which changed the State Constitution to establish term limits for elected officials serving in the state Legislature. Currently, an individual generally cannot serve more than 14 years total between the two houses – a maximum of six years in the Assembly and eight years in the Senate.

Proposition 93 would reduce the permissible state legislative service to 12 years, without regard to whether that time is served in the Assembly or the Senate. For instance, a state legislator could serve six two-year terms in the Assembly, or three four-year terms in the Senate, or some combination of terms in both houses.

The measure includes a transition period that would allow current members of the Legislature to serve a total of 12 years in their current legislative house regardless of how long they may already have served in the other house. This could result in some current members serving longer than 14 years in the Legislature.

According to the California Legislative Analyst’s office, there would be no direct fiscal effect on total state spending or revenues.

A YES vote means members of the State Legislature could serve a maximum of 12 years in office, without regard to whether the years are served in the Assembly or Senate.

A NO vote means members of the State Legislature could continue to serve a maximum of 14 years in office – up to 6 years in the Assembly and 8 years in the Senate.

Proposition 93 strikes a balance between the need to elect new people with fresh ideas and the need for knowledgeable, experienced legislators to solve complex problems facing our state.
The simple but important adjustments of Proposition 93 will let legislators spend more time working for taxpayers and less time worrying about which office to run for next.

Proposition 93 is a scam written by politicians and funded by special interests that will benefit 42 termed-out incumbent politicians by giving them more time in office.
This measure actually lengthens politicians’ time in office by doubling Assembly terms from 6 to 12 years, and increasing Senate terms from 8 to 12 years.

PRO (916) 443-7817, Committee for Term Limits and Legislative Reform, www.termlimitsreform.com

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