Voters Could Decide On Term Limits For Legislative Leaders

Lawmakers in the state House want voters to decide on a constitutional amendment restricting the terms of the leaders of the General Assembly.

The Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tem of the Senate are currently allowed to serve as many two-year terms as they are able- as long as they keep winning the support of their chambers. But House Bill 61 would change that. Republican representative John Blust is from Greensboro, and says

"It simply limits the president pro tem of the Senate and the Speaker of the House to two consecutive terms. The bill as written does not apply to any term served prior to the effective date of this consitutional amendment. "

That means the service of current legislators who've held leadership positions in the past wouldn't be counted if they were voted in again. Some lawmakers want to enact term limits by statute rather than by sending a constitutional amendment to voters for their approval.