Lawmakers Brief: Ga. Senate Proposes Term Limits For General Assembly, Lt. Governor

Legislation to limit the terms of the lieutenant governor and members of the Georgia General Assembly has begun moving through the Georgia Senate.

Senate Resolution 37 calls for House members to be limited to six two-year terms and Senate members to three four-year terms, starting in 2024. Senate members currently serve two-year terms.

The lieutenant governor would be limited to consecutive four-year terms but could run again after being out of office for four years.

Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan has supported similar legislation in the past to term limit his office.

The resolution received its first hearing on Monday in the Senate Government Oversight Committee, GPB Lawmakers Capitol Correspondent Brenda Waters reported.

Concerns raised by Democrats during Monday’s hearing included the loss of institutional knowledge and restricting the right of voters to pick who they want to represent them.

SR 37 lead sponsor Senator Greg Dolezal said he is open to making changes.

Read SR 37 here: https://bit.ly/3aMM72I

So far, the resolution remains in the Senate Government Oversight Committee.

In a separate piece of legislation filed this week by Senate President Pro Tempore Butch Miller, Senate Resolution 83 would change the terms of House members from two years to four years. Senate members would go from two years to six years. Both changes would begin 2024.

Read SR 83 here: https://bit.ly/3p3LhUp

The resolution was assigned to the Senate Government Oversight Committee on Wednesday.