Don't Touch Term Limits

GUEST COLUMN

By Rep. David Lust
District 34, South Dakota

I have long supported term limits as a way of furthering the democratic process and ensuring a legislature comprised of citizen-legislators. My experience over the last two years as a State Representative has only strengthened my views on this issue.

Those opposing term limits often argue that we lose valuable, experienced legislators as a result of term limits. This presumes that the ability to be an effective legislator is based, in large part, upon time served in the legislature. In actuality, time served in the legislature does not necessarily equate to being a successful legislator. Indeed, a qualified, diligent citizen can master the necessary legislative procedures in short order. The commitment and life-experience these people bring to the process is more valuable than any procedural acumen obtained by lengthy service in Pierre. Also, be mindful that getting elected, and repeatedly re-elected, requires different skills than legislating. Repealing term limits would reward good campaigners, not necessarily good legislators.

The importance of retaining “institutional knowledge” is often mentioned as a reason for repealing term limits. However, the Legislative Research Council (LRC) is the primary repository of institutional knowledge for the South Dakota legislature. Both new and veteran legislators regularly consult the LRC to assist in formulating ideas and drafting legislation. More often than not a proposed bill has been explored by past legislatures (both in and out of South Dakota), and the LRC provides immediate and extensive information about it. Given the presence and purpose of the LRC, the argument that we need legislators with vast stores of legislative knowledge is exaggerated.

Term limits provide an effective means of increasing the citizenry’s contact with the legislative process. By expanding the number of individuals who serve in the legislature, more people come in contact with the process both directly and indirectly. Each legislator has a different circle of contacts than did his or her predecessor. Such new blood keeps our state government closer to the people and prevents legislators from creating law in isolation. In the end, the expanded pool of individuals connected to the process through their own experience or the experience of a relative, friend, or colleague trumps the concerns about losing long-tenured “super legislators.”

Finally, to be truly consistent with the concept of a citizen-legislature, our legislature should be comprised of those who are citizens first and legislators second. Legislative service should be viewed as temporary and transient. Without term limits, pursuit of office for the public good too often becomes the pursuit of office for one’s own good. While eight years may not be the optimal limitation (I advocate for a twelve-year limit), completely removing term limits is ill-advised. The people of South Dakota have spoken on this previously - and they were correct.