HB 2428

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.B. NO.
2428
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
PROPOSING
AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLE III OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO
ESTABLISH LEGISLATIVE TERM LIMITS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
���� SECTION
1.� The legislature finds that reasonable
limits on legislative service promote fresh perspectives, broaden opportunities
for civic participation, and strengthen public confidence in representative
government. �Establishing an aggregate
limit on legislative service ensures a balance between institutional knowledge
and responsiveness to the evolving needs of the public.
���� The
legislature further finds that proposals to establish legislative term limits
have been introduced in prior legislative sessions but have not been enacted. �In recognition of the inherent challenges
associated with asking currently serving legislators to vote on measures that
would directly affect their own tenure, this Act is designed to apply
prospectively.
���� Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to establish a lifetime aggregate limit on service
in the legislature that applies only to individuals who first assume
legislative office in 2026 or thereafter, thereby relieving existing members of
any immediate personal impact while ensuring that future legislative service is
subject to reasonable and clearly defined limits.
���� SECTION
2.� Article III of the Constitution of
the State of Hawaii is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately
designated and to read as follows:
"MAXIMUM
LENGTH OF SERVICE
���� Section
   .� No person
shall serve more than twenty-four total years of legislative service in the
legislature, whether such service is rendered in the house of representatives,
the senate, or any combination thereof.�
No person shall be eligible to be elected or appointed to the house of
representatives or senate if the term sought would cause the person's total
years of legislative service to exceed twenty-four years.
���� Service
in either chamber shall be aggregated for purposes of calculating the total
years of legislative service.
���� Any
partial term served by election or appointment shall be included in the
calculation of total years of legislative service.
���� This
section shall not apply to the legislative terms for those legislators who were
elected or appointed to serve in either house of the legislature on or prior to
December 31, 2025.� Nothing in this
section shall be construed to shorten or otherwise affect the term of any
legislator who assumed office on or prior to December 31, 2025.
���� For the
purposes of this section:
���� "Legislative
service" means service as a member of the house of representatives or
senate, whether by election or appointment.
���� "Term
of office" includes any partial term served by election or appointment.
���� "Total
years of legislative service" means the cumulative number of years served
in either or both houses of the legislature."
���� SECTION
3.� The question to be printed on the
ballot shall be as follows:
���� "Shall
a person appointed or elected to the legislature after January 1, 2026, be
limited to serving no more than twenty-four years as a member of the
legislature, whether as a member of the house of representatives, a member of
the senate, or any combination thereof, during the person's lifetime?"
���� SECTION
4.� New constitutional material is
underscored.
���� SECTION
5.� This amendment shall take effect upon
compliance with article XVII, section 3, of the Constitution of the State of
Hawaii.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
Constitutional
Amendment; Legislators; Term Limits
Description:
Proposes
a constitutional amendment to prohibit a person from serving as a member of the
legislature for more than twenty-four years during the person's lifetime.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.