S.R. 18 Summary

• Requests the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct a study on the benefits and drawbacks of implementing term limits for state legislators.

• Notes that 35 states have imposed term limits on governors and state legislators, and 33 states have imposed term limits on their federal congressional delegations.

• References that in 1974, the only election year with campaign spending limits, 43% of House members and 32% of Senate members elected to Hawaii's Legislature were new, compared to fewer competitive races after the Buckley v. Valeo Supreme Court decision eliminated certain campaign spending restrictions.

• Identifies concerns that high costs for nonincumbent candidates and low chances of winning reduce contested races, leading to voter apathy and undermining representative democracy.

• Requires the Legislative Reference Bureau to submit findings to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the 2022 Regular Session convenes.