Florida Sen. Blaze Ingoglia proposed a constitutional amendment that would limit state legislators to eight years of life. Then, turn the switch back. The proposal requires valid statewide referendum approval from both the Florida Legislature and 60% of voters. The amendment is intended to prevent lawmakers from using the system to their advantage and creating a career out of their duties.
The Florida Senators have introduced measures to set up additional time limits for Florida Senators and members of the House.
The constitutional amendment proposed by Senator Blaze Ingoglier would be restricted to lawmakers serving in the Senate for eight years.
Currently, lawmakers can serve in the House of Representatives for up to eight consecutive years in the Senate (Second-Second-Article 2 of the four-year terms) and eight consecutive years in the House. But they are allowed to return to legislative bodies that were termed after the tenure gap, as some have done.
Ingoglia’s proposal must be approved by three-fifths of the membership of each Florida Legislature’s meeting room to change the Florida Constitution. The proposed amendments must be approved by 60% of voters in a statewide referendum.
“Congress should never be a rotating door for elected officials,” said Ingoglia of R-Spring Hill, former chairman of the Florida Republican Party. “This practice of lawmakers who go out and run continuously in the same office is a slip-down and must stop. Serving the people of Florida should be a privilege and an honor, not a career. , and go back and forth between the chambers.”
His proposal, if approved, will take effect in 2026.
His proposal has two exceptions to allow lawmakers to serve for more than 16 years. If a lawmaker has served for 16 years by 2026, that person will be allowed to serve for a total of 24 years. Additionally, if the term of office of lawmakers is reduced as a result of a change in districts, their tenure could exceed 16 years.
Mayfield Time Limit Dispute
Is Ingoglia’s proposed constitutional amendment submission eligible to run for the upcoming Florida Senate seat in District 19 districts covering Central and South Brevard Counties? It is in the conflict that hinders you.
Florida’s election division ruled last week that Mayfield was ineligible to run because she served from 2016 to 2024 before being appointed Senator. R-Indialantic’s Mayfield won in November when he competed in the Florida House seat in the 32nd district of central Brevard.
Randy Fine of R-Melbourne Beach ran and won the old Senate seat in Mayfield in November. However, he has resigned from that seat and is running for a newly opened council seat in six counties areas, including Daytona Beach.
Mayfield wants to run for her previous Senate seat, claiming that the short gap in her tenure in the Senate will restart the watch with term restrictions, and she will be allowed to run. Should be. Just after the election’s qualifying period ended last week, Florida’s election division told Mayfield that she was not eligible to run due to the time limit.
She is seeking to vote for a Florida Supreme Court decision through an emergency petition filed Thursday.
Mayfield served in the House of Representatives for eight years from 2008 to 2016, eight years ago.
Mayfield did not respond to a request for comment Monday morning on Ingoglia’s proposal.
Altman opposes the period limit clause
Another lawmaker who has served in the Florida State Legislature for more than 16 years is current Brevard County Commissioner Sad Altman, R. Melbourne. Altman was in Florida from 2003 to 2008, then served in the Florida Senate from 2008 to 2016, then returned home from 2016 to 2024.
Altman said if he was still in the Florida state legislature, he would vote against Ingoglia’s proposal.
“I know that duration limits are very popular, but I don’t like the artificial term limits,” says Altman.
He says that term limits have the “unintended consequences” of putting too much power in the lobbyist’s hands as experienced lawmakers are forced to leave their positions in eight years. Ta.
He said the founding father was right in not placing term restrictions on the US Constitution for US senators and members of the US House of Representatives.
Altman said he supports one type of time limit: election. He said that if voters don’t like the job, they can vote them from their profession.
Dave Berman is Florida’s business editor today. Please contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com (@bydaveberman x, www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54).
