Term limits in the California Legislature are currently governed by the provisions of Proposition 140 (1990). For the full text of Proposition 140 see California Ballot Pamphlet, General Election, November 6, 1990.

Proposition 140 limits State Senators to two four-year terms, and members of the Assembly to three two-year terms. Legislators who serve in both houses are limited to a maximum of 14 years total.

Proposition 93 would reduce the total amount of time a person may serve in the state legislature from 14 years to 12 years. It would eliminate the two-term limit for Senators, and the three-term limit for members of the Assembly. It would allow a person to serve a total of 12 years either in the Assembly, the Senate, or a combination of both.

Proposition 93 would also provide a transition period to allow current members to serve a total of 12 consecutive years in the house in which they are currently serving, regardless of any prior service in another house.

Supporters of Proposition 93 claim that the elimination of the two-term limit for Senators and the three-term limit for members of the Assembly will give legislators more time and incentives to gain experience and to develop expertise, thereby improving the legislature's ability to perform it's role in state government.

Opponents contend that the measure was written by incumbent legislators to benefit incumbents. They claim that by removing the two-term limit for Senators and the three-term limit for members of the Assembly, Proposition 93 would extend the total number of years in office for most incumbents.

Prominent supporters include Ex-Controller Steve Westley, who lost in last year's Democratic primary for governor. Opponents include Republican Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, and former Governor Pete Wilson.

Title and Summary

Analysis by Legislative Analyst's Office

Arguments For and Against

Individual Campaign Committees
Committees formed to support or oppose the ballot measure.

Stop the Politicians
Opposition website

Yes on 93

Vote trend running against Prop. 93 (Term Limits) and in favor of Props. 94-97 (Indian Gaming). Field Poll #2265, 2/04/08

Californians think that the state is on the wrong track: Proposition 93 - term limits - barely ahead. Los Angeles Times/CNN/Politico poll, Jan. 2008.

Baldassare, Mark.
PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians & their Government. San Francisco: Public Policy Institute of California, January 2008..

Voters closely divided on Prop. 93 (term limits) and Props. 94-97 (Indian gaming).
Field Poll #2262, 1/24/08

Low voter awareness of propositions dealing with term limits and Indian gaming.
Field Poll # 2256, 12/27/2007

Smaller majority now favoring Prop. 93, the term limits initiative. Voters in favor of approving four Indian gaming compacts.
Field Poll # 2247, 10/31/2007

Baldassare, Mark.
PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians & their Government. San Francisco: Public Policy Institute of California, May 2007.

Schwarzenegger viewed more favorably. Voters approve of the early Presidential primary. While two in three still favor term limits, early support for an initiative to modify them.
Field Poll # 2227, 4/6/2007

Baldassare, Mark.
PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians & their Government. San Francisco: Public Policy Institute of California, March 2007.

Legislative Reform, Eric McGhee, Public Policy Institute of California, December 2007.

Termed Out: Reforming California's Legislative Term Limits, Sasha Horwitz, Center for Governmental Studies, October 2007.

Adapting to Term Limits: Recent Experiences and New Directions
Bruce E. Cain and Thad Kousser, Public Policy Institute of California, 2004.

Ten Years Into Term Limits: Academic Findings and the View from the Legislature, UC Berkeley/Sacramento Program Conference, May 17, 2001. Panel 1: The Institutional Impact on Sacramento; Panel 2: Campaigns After Term Limits; Panel 3: Coping with Term Limits; Panel 4: The Changing Face of Representation and Policy.

Legislative Term Limits: A Select Bibliography, Compiled by Marc A. Levin and Bruce E. Cain, IGS Library, 1998.

The following citations include links to full-text articles online, when they are available. Some restrictions on use apply, due to licensing requirements. For more information, see Tips for Finding Full-Text Articles.

Feb. 7, 2008.
Defeat of Prop. 93 will test Legislature, Matthew Yi, San Francisco Chronicle.

February 6, 2008
Voters reject Prop. 93 on term limits, Tom Chorneau, San Francisco Chronicle.

Feb. 4, 2008.
Voters souring on term limits measure, poll finds, Tom Chorneau, San Francisco Chronicle.

Jan. 31, 2008.
If Prop. 93 wins, hot campaigns disappear, John Wildermuth, San Francisco Chronicle.

Jan. 24, 2008.
Poll tough for term limit, gambling props, John Wildermuth, San Francisco Chronicle.

Jan. 22, 2008
How Núñez rose to power so fast: Champion of Prop. 93, in Assembly only 5 years, had modest beginnings, Matthew Yi, San Francisco Chronicle.

Jan. 22, 2008
Prop. 93 on Feb. 5 ballot has two faces, Tom Chorneau, San Francisco Chronicle.

Jan. 14, 2008
Governor switches positions, backs term limits change, Steve Lawrence, San Francisco Chronicle.

Jan. 13, 2008
[Editorial] Vote No on Proposition 93 's term limits change: this change in the term limits law represents half a deal: alll carrot, no stick,
Sacramento Bee.

Jan. 2, 2008
Maybe the Problem in California is Us--Limiting Legislative Discretion and Accountability—Prop 93, a Case in Point, Peter Schrag, California Progress Report

Dec. 20, 2007
Cal Chamber flip-flops on Proposition 93, Anthony York, Capitol Weekly

Dec. 19, 2007
Ex-Controller Westly backs term-limits measure, Jim Sanders, Sacramento Bee

Dec. 3, 2007
Term-limit measure may confuse voters, John Marelius, San Diego Union Tribune

Dec. 2, 2007
[Editorial] Prop. 93 isn't the fix we need -- term-limit law would reward double-dealing by incumbents, San Jose Mercury News

Nov. 29, 2007
No term limits on venality, George Skelton, Los Angeles Times

Oct. 31, 2007
Voters less enthusiastic about changing term limits: Unproductive year by lawmakers may be hurting Prop. 93, Matthew Yi, San Francisco Chronicle