Legislative Term Limitation Under A "Limited" Popular Initiative Provision?

This article addresses the need for change in a seniority-based political system which fosters and is dominated by self-serving career politicians who rarely appear to serve the public interest. Campaign finance reforms and other remedial approaches show no signs of abating this situation. Term limitations, however, offer a reasonable check on the evil inherent in prolonged legislative power. Even though the constitutionality of state-enacted limitations on federal legislators is debatable, state enacted limitations on state legislative terms are constitutional.

The "limited" popular constitutional initiative provided for in the 1970 Illinois Constitution--and the Illinois Supreme Court decisions interpreting that provision--appear to allow for legislative term limits in Illinois. Thus, Illinois may soon participate in the national term limitation movement.