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Updated: 8:50 AM Mar 14, 2010
Michigan Term Limit Debate
Some lawmakers are pushing to amend the 1992 law that caps the number of years spent in office.
Posted: 9:31 PM Mar 13, 2010Reporter: Katie Kim Email Address: katie.kim@wilx.com |
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Come January, nearly three-fourths of the Senate and one-third of the House will be term-limited. Under state law, senators can only stay in office eight years. House Representatives can serve six.
"Voters are happy with term limits," says Patrick Anderson from the Anderson Economic Group. "They know that they work. They are a fair bargain between them and the people that they are paying for."
Anderson authored the 1992 bill. He says term limits hold legistlators accountable for their actions.
"Term limits make sure you know in the back of your head, no matter what office you have in Michigan state government, eventually you'll have to live under those laws and not as an elected official," Anderson says.
But some lawmakers say the frequent turnover rate makes for ineffective government.
"The lack of experience, especially with freshmen when they first come into the house, it takes them a year, maybe 18 months, to really get how the process works," says Rep. Paul Opsommer, R-DeWitt.
Time that Rep. Opsommer says the legislature won't have in 2011.
"It makes it difficult for us to put together a good budget for Oct. 1," says Opsommer.
State Rep. Mark Meadows introduced a measure earlier this month that would let lawmakers serve 12 to 14 years in the House, Senate or combined. Rep. Opsommer supports this amendment.
"That allows a person to really gain the experience they need. Then they can be effective for an 8 to 10-year period of time. It also allows for new ideas and fresh ideas from new representatives and senators," Opsommer says.
But Anderson says Michigan's problem is not time spent in office.
"The problem is right now we have elected officials that have not done their job," says Anderson.
Regardless of the changes facing the term limit law, voters will have the last say.
Rep. Mark Meadows' bill is currently facing a judiciary committee. Rep. Opsommer hopes the measure will pass through both chambers by this summer.
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