Two south Florida lawmakers want to extend the time state representatives and senators can serve. The move will give them twelve years instead of eight.
Some in the state Legislature are working to curtail the terms for Florida’s judges, but those aren’t the only term limits lawmakers have on their mind. Under Florida’s Constitution, state legislators are held to eight consecutive years in their seat.
But it’s a soft restriction.
Some officials switch chambers, others take a break, and some move to a different district to continue serving in Tallahassee. If House Minority Leader Mark Pafford and Miami Republican Senator Rene Garcia get their way, lawmakers in the future will have a bit more time before they make a move. The extension only applies to lawmakers who begin their initial term after the 2016 election.
If the joint resolution makes it through the statehouse, Floridians will vote on whether to extend the restriction from 8 to 12 years.
