Bill > HB764

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to establish term limits for Hawaii state legislators, based on strong public support as evidenced by a 2018 Civil Beat poll where 70% of likely voters favored such limits. The proposed amendment would modify Article III, Section 4 of the Hawaii State Constitution to allow the legislature to set a specific number of terms that representatives and senators can serve, beginning after the 2028 general election. Specifically, the bill would add language allowing legislators to serve only a set number of terms as determined by future legislation, while maintaining the current two-year terms for representatives and four-year terms for senators. The amendment would be subject to voter approval through a ballot measure asking whether the Hawaii State Constitution should be changed to limit legislative terms. If approved, the legislature would have the opportunity during the 2027 and 2028 legislative sessions to draft and pass specific legislation defining the exact term limit parameters. This approach provides a framework for term limits while leaving the precise details to be determined by future legislative action.

Justice

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=764&year=2026