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HCR 12

APPLYING TO CONGRESS, AS PROVIDED BY ARTICLE V OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, TO SET A LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF TERMS THAT A PERSON MAY BE ELECTED AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Julie Reyes Oda

Hawaii petitions Congress to propose a constitutional amendment limiting consecutive terms for House and Senate members through Article V procedures.

Referred to JHA, referral sheet 15
#application #articlev #congress #constitution #termlimits
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Bill Summary · HCR 12

Legislative bill overview

HCR 12 is a Hawaii concurrent resolution that formally applies to Congress requesting a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. This is an Article V application, one of the mechanisms by which states can petition Congress to propose constitutional amendments without requiring Congressional initiation.

Why is this important

Term limits for Congress have been debated for decades as a potential reform to reduce incumbent advantage, increase turnover, and potentially decrease partisan entrenchment. This bill represents one state's formal endorsement of this proposal, and if enough states apply for the same amendment (currently requiring 34 states), Congress would be legally obligated to call a constitutional convention to consider it—a rare and consequential event.

Potential points of contention

  • Constitutional convention risk: An Article V convention could theoretically address any constitutional changes, not just term limits, creating uncertainty about what amendments might emerge
  • Incumbent protection vs. democratic choice: Opponents argue term limits remove voters' ability to reelect effective representatives, while proponents see incumbency advantage as undemocratic
  • Federalism concerns: Some view this as states interfering with Congress's composition, while others argue state input is appropriate for fundamental governance structures

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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