Posted on 08/15/2006 12:58:28 PM PDT by PDR
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Term limits have not led to significant increases in female or minority representation in state legislatures, according to a survey of the 15 states with term limits.
"Term limits have not led to the new breed of diverse, citizen legislators proponents expected," said a study released Tuesday by the National Conference of State Legislatures at its annual meeting.
Between 1995 and 2004, the only term-limited assemblies with an increase in the number of women were California and South Dakota. In a majority of states with term limits, the number of female lawmakers decreased, the report said.
Open seats caused by term limits did clear the way for an increase in Hispanic lawmakers in California, Florida and Arizona, and for blacks in Michigan and Arkansas.
But the report's authors argue that the increase in minority representation mirrors demographic trends in those states.
"No systematic differences exist in the number of racial and ethnic minorities in the term-limited legislatures versus non-limited legislatures," the report stated.
Twenty-one states imposed term limits between 1990 and 2000. But courts in Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming later overturned those limits, and lawmakers in Utah and Idaho repealed theirs. A ballot measure to reinstate limits in Oregon is headed for a vote in November.
The study was unveiled at the NCSL's annual meetings in Tennessee, which has no term limits.
House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh has held his post since 1991, while John Wilder has been the speaker of the state Senate since 1971. Wilder, 86, is possibly the longest-serving head of a legislative body in U.S. history.
By 2004, term limits in 13 states forced 1,200 lawmakers out of office, the study found. But many have returned in their assembly's other chamber, or have run for local office.
Turnover in term-limited House chambers was 11.5 percent higher in the 1990s than in the previous decade, leading to a shortage of seasoned lawmakers in statehouses.
"The difference under term limits is that these legislatures no longer have a small group of long-serving members whose leadership and expertise can guide a largely inexperienced legislature," the report said.
Since lawmakers are limited to as few as six years in office, jockeying for key leadership positions begins much earlier than in legislatures with unlimited tenures. Lack of experience can lead to increased influence by the executive branch, legislative staff and lobbyists, the report said.
"Term limits in states have done more to limit rather than enhance the effectiveness of the legislative branch," Karl Kurtz, director of state services at NCSL and a lead researcher in the study, said in a release.
Lawmakers have tried to better prepare incoming speakers -- and to give them more time at the helm -- in term-limited states:
* Florida and Alabama have chosen "speaker designates" a year before the session they will lead, and given them extra responsibility in the budget process and election coordination.
* The last two speakers in Michigan, which has a six-year limit, and Ohio, which has an eight-year limit, were chosen from the ranks of first- or second-term lawmakers.
* Arizona state Rep. Jim Weiers was House speaker in 2001-2002, but was forced out by term limits. So he spent two years in the Senate and was then re-elected to the House, where he was chosen to be speaker again.
At least 70 proposals to relax term limits have been introduced in state legislature since 1999. Only three passed -- two that were overwhelmingly rejected in Arkansas and Montana in 2004, and one that was withdrawn by Florida lawmakers before it could reach the ballot.
Meanwhile, only two of at least 58 bills to repeal term limits were successful -- Idaho in 2002 and Utah in 2003.
Term Limits have helped diversify the number of holders of office however. I agree with you. Really stupid article on a nonsencial strawman study. No one ever said Term Limits would cause sexual or racial diversity.
I haven't seen a shortage of "seasoned lawmakes". Quite the contrary!
Because term limits work. This move to put effective leaders at the helm just proves effective leaders won't be voted out of office.
Term limits are desirable because it minimizes corruption and arrogance, not to promote diversity.
Anyone who believes diversity was the goal must be brain-dead.
Until I see the internal details of this "study," I am inclined to believe that it is not Scottish, as in Mike Myers' comment, "If it's not Scottish, it's cr*p!" Other than that, nice article.
Congressman Billybob
Latest article: "The Democrat Party - 1828 - 2006 - R.I.P."
Please see my most recent statement on running for Congress, here.
Term limits are absolutely needed. Just think of all the Bags of crap profiting for years and years off the public dime. If there were term limits there wouldn't be a chance of their insane retirement program because everyone would know they had to get their butts back to work in the real world. Conrgress critters need to be reigned in.
Term limits really don't make much sense to me.
I thought the idea was to try and reduce the number of career politicians, but it doesn't appear to have done that, nor does it seem like term limits really have the ability to accomplish that goal.
Instead they just seem to create a process by which career politicians go from one office to the next, and are always looking for support from those outside their constituency that will aid them when they need to move on to the next political position.
The make it so that the Governor often has a lot of influence over the legislature by being able to offer appointments to jobs for when their terms run out in exchange for support.
There probably are some good things that have come from term limits, but I really can't think of any offhand.
Hmmm which part of the constitution mandates diversity?
susie
From what I've seen it increases corruption because politicians nearing the end of the limit have to start considering what their next step is.
Taft, here in Ohio, has been known to award political appointments to legislators after they are forced out of office by term limits, if those legislators switched their stance on some issues Taft considered important.
Politicians who are planning on moving up to a higher office often start using their office to appeal to a wider group rather than looking after the interests of those they represent.
Instead of minimizing corruption the minimize their accountability to their constituents in their second term.
Arrogance is usually mitigated by accountability. I don't see how removing a politician's ability to be reelected encourages them to be LESS arrogant.
Term limits have not led to significant increases in female or minority representation in state legislatures, according to a survey of the 15 states with term limits.
Funny, but I didn't know that the purpose of term limits was to increase female or minority representation.
sheesh, what idiots!
Term limits are GREAT!!!
Professional politicians, you know, the ones that ran the student council in high school, will be out.
We need Engineers, Doctors, and Small business owners in there.
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