Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis joined Ohio House GOP lawmakers Tuesday afternoon to call for term limits in Congress, which would require an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
The former presidential candidate and term-limited politician said Ohio should follow Florida’s lead and certify House Joint Resolution 3, calling a convention to draft and propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
“I hear this stuff about Congressional term limits, (they’ll) say, ‘Oh, well, then the lobbyists are going to run it, then the staff is going to run it,’” DeSantis said Tuesday. “Who do you think has been running it now? When they do these omnibus bills, do you think that’s something that all 435 of these House members are actively debating?”
Article V of the U.S. Constitution enables 34 or more state legislatures to trigger a constitutional convention. The most recent—and only, so far—constitutional convention was in 1787, when the U.S. got rid of the Articles of Confederation and ratified the U.S. Constitution.
The broader Article V movement has been around for decades, namely as conservatives continue to advocate for an amendment requiring a balanced budget at the federal level.
Many Americans, or 87%, back Congressional term limits, according to a 2023 survey by Pew Research Center.
Like Florida, members of the Ohio Legislature have been limited to eight years in one chamber and eight years in the other since 1992, but some state lawmakers will bounce between.
“I believe the Article V proposal from U.S. Term Limits would likely be similar to the presidential term limit,” DeSantis said. “I don’t think you’d see ping ponging back, but that is what we have in Florida, and the members that have done that ... are allowed to do it.”
Before his own speakership began in January, House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) served two four-year terms in the Senate and four two-year terms in the House. Huffman, who joined DeSantis on Tuesday, did not answer when asked whether he believed state limits should be stricter.
HJR 3 needs to clear the House and Senate by a 60% vote in each chamber for certification. Procedurally, Gov. Mike DeWine does not sign or veto joint resolutions.
