State legislatures Term Limits

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Term Limits for States Congress

States Congressional Term Limits

A national poll conducted by Gallup in 2013 showed 75% of Americans favoring term limits.

In fifteen states across America, citizens have voted overwhelmingly to place term limits on their state legislatures. Two of these states have used activist judges to remove term limits.

State legislatures with term limits for senators and members of the House

Alaska, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Washington — in addition to all of the states listed below (excluding Louisiana) — passed federal congressional term limits before the 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court decision in U.S. Term Limits v. Thornton declared the necessity of a constitutional amendment to limit the terms of Congress.

Term Limits in Arizona

  • Year: 1992
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): House: 4 terms (8 y*ears)
  • The year when the law takes effect: House: 2000
  • Percentage of positive votes: 74%

    Term Limits in

  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Senate: 4 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: Senate: 2000

Term Limits in Arkansas

  • Year: 1992
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): House: 3 terms (6 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: House: 1998
  • Percentage of positive votes: 60%
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Senate: 2 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: Senate: 2000

Term Limits in California

California’s term limits were modified by referendum in 2012 to a 12-year cumulative total, either or both houses.

  • Year: 1990
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Assembly: 3 terms (6 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: House: 1996
  • Percentage of positive votes: 52%
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Senate: 2 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: Senate: 1998

Term Limits in Colorado

  • Year: 1990
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): House: 4 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: House: 1998
  • Percentage of positive votes: 71%
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Senate: 2 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: Senate: 1998

Term Limits in Florida

  • Year: 1992
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): House: 4 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: House: 2000
  • Percentage of positive votes: 77%
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Senate: 2 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: Senate: 2000

Term Limits in Idaho

The voters of this State passed term limits on their legislature, statewide officeholders and local officeholders in 1994 by 59% of the vote. In 1998, the legislature placed an “advisory” question on the ballot, asking voters to reaffirm their support of term limits. Voters did so. In 2001, state and local office holders sued Idaho voters in a case that made its way to the Idaho Supreme Court, where the court ruled term limits constitutional. In February 2002, the Idaho Legislature ignored the vote of the people and became the first state in the nation to repeal their term limits law.

Term Limits in Louisiana

The Law in Louisiana about term limits was passed by the state legislature.

  • Year: 1995
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): House: 3 terms (12 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: House: 2007
  • Percentage of positive votes: 76%
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Senate: 3 terms (12 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: Senate: 2007

Term Limits in Maine

In this state, the law is retroactive.

  • Year: 1993
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): House: 4 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: House: 1996
  • Percentage of positive votes: 68%
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Senate: 4 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: Senate: 1996

Term Limits in Michigan

  • Year: 1992
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): House: 3 terms (6 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: House: 1998
  • Percentage of positive votes: 59%
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Senate: 2 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: Senate: 2002

Term Limits in Missouri

  • Year: 1992
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): House: 4 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: House: 2002
  • Percentage of positive votes: 75%
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Senate: 2 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: Senate: 2002

Term Limits in Montana

  • Year: 1992
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): House: 4 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: House: 2000
  • Percentage of positive votes: 67%
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Senate: 2 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: Senate: 2000

Term Limits in Nebraska

  • Year: 2000
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Unicameral: 2 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: Senate: 2008
  • Percentage of positive votes: 56%

Term Limits in Nevada

  • Year: 1996
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Assembly: 6 terms (12 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: House: 2010
  • Percentage of positive votes: 70%
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Senate: 3 terms (12 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: Senate: 2010

Term Limits in Ohio

  • Year: 1992
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): House: 4 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: House: 2000
  • Percentage of positive votes: 66%
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Senate: 2 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: Senate: 2000

Term Limits in Oklahoma

  • Year: 1990
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): 12 year combined total for both houses
  • The year when the law takes effect: State Legislature: 2004
  • Percentage of positive votes: 67%

Term Limits in Oregon

The voters of this State passed term limits on their legislature and statewide officeholders in 1992 by 70% of the vote. Two termed out legislators sued the voters of Oregon in a case that made its way to the Oregon State Supreme Court. In December 2001, the court ruled that the term limits law violated single amendment requirements and threw the law out.

Term Limits in South Dakota

  • Year: 1992
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): House: 4 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: House: 2000
  • Percentage of positive votes: 64%
  • Limited terms (total years allowed): Senate: 2 terms (8 years)
  • The year when the law takes effect: Senate: 2000

Term Limits in Wyoming

The limited term’s law was originally passed by initiative in 1994. The Wyoming legislature amended the law to allow members of the House to serve 12 years. A referendum to return to the original six- year House limits garnered 54% of the vote but failed to get 50% plus one of all voters to veto the legislature.

Related pieces of legislation:

  1. Positive Alternatives Act
  2. Special Law
  3. An Act to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for reduction in the term of office of members of the Federal Communications Commission, and for other purposes
  4. Internal Revenue Code of 1986
  5. Congress Limits
  6. Presidential Records Act Of 1978
  7. To amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to permit individuals who have served as employees of the Office of Compliance to serve as Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director, or General Counsel of the Office, and to permit individuals appointed to such positions to serve one additional term
  8. Long-Term Care Security Act
  9. An Act to amend section 4082(c) of title 18, United States Code, to extend the limits of confinement of Federal prisoners
  10. To amend chapter 90 of title 5, United States Code, relating to Federal long-term care insurance
  11. To permit the individuals currently serving as Executive Director, Deputy Executive Directors, and General Counsel of the Office of Compliance to serve one additional term
  12. An Act to amend the charter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars to make eligible for membership those veterans that have served within the territorial limits of South Korea
  13. An Act to amend the Act establishing a Commission on the Bicentennial of the Constitution of the United States to clarify the status of employees of the Commission, to raise the limits on private contributions, and for other purposes
  14. Indian Long-Term Leasing Act
  15. Short-Term TANF Extension Act
  16. An Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to clarify the term of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue
  17. Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act
  18. To extend the term of the Forest Counties Payments Committee
  19. Generic Animal Drug and Patent Term Restoration Act
  20. An Act to extend the term of the incumbent Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation

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