Bill > SR180

This Resolution formally requests the Legislative Reference Bureau, a non-partisan research agency that assists the Hawaii State Legislature, to conduct a comprehensive study examining the potential benefits and drawbacks of imposing term limits on members of the Legislature. The resolution highlights concerns about the difficulty for challengers to unseat incumbents, referencing a Supreme Court decision that impacted campaign spending limits and noting that in Hawaii's past, elections with spending limits saw a significant influx of new legislators. It also points out that many other states have adopted term limits for their legislators, governors, and even members of the U.S. Congress, while acknowledging that some states have repealed them and others have had them invalidated by courts for procedural reasons. The core of the resolution is to understand how term limits might affect the democratic process, particularly in light of reduced competition and potential voter apathy. The Legislative Reference Bureau is tasked with completing this study and submitting its findings to the Legislature by a specific deadline before the 2023 legislative session begins.