Group Pushes Tougher Term Limits

Arkansas Term Limits is submitting a ballot measure to the attorney general’s office that will restore the previous restrictions, plus add an overall limit of 10 years of service.

Co-Chairs Tim Jacob and Bob Porto announced Thursday that they would need 85,000 signatures to place the measure on the ballot in 2016.

Arkansas voters in 1992 voted to limit terms to three two-year terms in the House and two four-year terms in the Senate, and then voted against increasing the length of terms in 2004. But in 2014, they voted to increase terms to 16 years total as part of an initiative that also included limits on lobbying and corporate and union contributions.

Jacob said in an interview that legislators tried to “fool voters” by camouflaging their intentions among the other provisions in that ballot issue.

“Somebody needs to stand up for the citizens of this state,” Jacob said. “The last time this was on the ballot and people understood what was on the ballot, real term limits were defended in 75 of 75 counties. It won (with) 70% of the vote. …. So we think that the people of this state need to be respected, and that it’s not right for legislators to deceive voters, to not be truthful with them, and to try to sneak something past them.”

He later said, “We just have lost all confidence in their ability to be honest with the Arkansas voter.”

Jacob said the group will start collecting signatures after the attorney general approves the ballot question. It does not plan to hire signature gatherers. The group’s website is www.restoretermlimits.org.