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HCR 2002

legislature; lifetime term limits; salary

57th Legislature - Second Regular Session Introduced by Stacey Travers

Imposes lifetime term limits for Arizona legislators starting 2027 and creates an index-based $35,000 salary with a five-member salary commission subject to voter approval.

House First Reading.
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Bill Summary · HCR 2002

Summary of HCR 2002 (Arizona, 57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session)

Purpose and intent

  • HCR 2002 is a concurrent resolution proposing constitutional amendments to impose lifetime term limits on members of the Arizona Legislature and to establish a new structure for legislative salaries and a commission to set compensation for elective state officers (including lawmakers).
  • If approved by voters, the amendments would take effect beginning with the 58th Legislature (2027) and would apply to terms and compensation accordingly.

Key provisions

1) Lifetime term limits for legislators (Article IV, Part 2, Section 21)

  • Establishes lifetime term limits starting with the 58th Legislature (2027):
    • State Senators: may not serve more than four terms in the Senate during their lifetime.
    • State Representatives: may not serve more than four terms in the House of Representatives during their lifetime.
    • A person may serve up to four terms in the Senate and up to four terms in the House during the same lifetime.
  • The limits apply to any part of a term served, and are independent of whether terms are served consecutively or non-consecutively.
  • For terms already served prior to 2027, the limit would apply to future service, with the lifetime cap in place from 2027 onward.
  • The current restriction on consecutive terms (existing language up to 2026) would be superseded for terms beginning in 2027 and later; the lifetime limit governs total service across all time.

2) Compensation for elective state officers; Commission on Salaries (Article V, Section 12)

  • Beginning with the 58th Legislature (2027), the annual salary for legislators would be set at $35,000, with automatic biennial adjustments every two years on the second Monday in January.
  • Adjustments would be tied to the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or its successor, as published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  • A commission on salaries for elective state officers would be established:
    • Composition: five private-life appointees; Governor appoints two; President of the Senate, Speaker of the House, and Chief Justice each appoint one.
    • Duties: to report to the Governor with salary recommendations for elected state officers (including legislators). The Governor would then make recommendations to the Legislature on exact pay (excluding legislators’ pay, which is governed by the section).
    • The Governor’s recommendations become effective unless rejected or altered by the Legislature within a specified period. The process mirrors the long-standing framework for other elective offices.
    • If recommendations become effective, they would supersede existing laws on salaries, and, if approved by voters, would apply to the legislative salaries beginning the next regular legislative session after general election.
    • The recommendations approved by voters would be certified to the Secretary of State, who would place a referendum question before voters at the next general election: “Shall the recommendations of the commission on salaries for elective state officers concerning legislative salaries be accepted?”
    • If voters approve, the new salary framework would take effect at the start of the next regular legislative session; otherwise, the status quo remains or is adjusted by the usual legislative process.

3) Procedure and voter consideration

  • The measures require voter approval in a general election (as constitutional amendments do).
  • The proposed changes include a transition plan specifying the 58th Legislature (2027) as the starting point for both term limits and the new compensation framework.

Who is affected

  • Current and future members of the Arizona Legislature (State Senate and House of Representatives) would be subject to lifetime term limits beginning in 2027.
  • Legislators would see a fixed starting salary of $35,000 in 2027, with automatic, CPI-based adjustments every two years.
  • An independent five-member salary commission would influence all elective state officer salaries, including legislative salaries, with the Governor and Legislature retaining final approval mechanisms.
  • Voters would be asked to approve both amendments in a future general election through a statewide ballot question.

Timeline and procedural notes

  • Effective date for changes: Beginning with the 58th Legislature in 2027.
  • Salary adjustment cadence: biennial on the second Monday in January, indexed to CPI.
  • Commission on Salaries: to be established by the Legislature; recommendations require gubernatorial consideration and potential voter approval for the legislative salaries.
  • Referendum process: Secretary of State would place the ballot question before voters at the next general election.

Potential impact

  • The term limits would fundamentally cap long-term incumbency, promoting turnover and new leadership opportunities while preserving prior service counts toward lifetime limits.
  • The salary framework introduces a formal, index-based compensation trajectory for legislators and a formal mechanism (the salary commission) to review and propose pay levels, potentially reducing ad hoc salary changes.
  • Fiscal impact would depend on CPI trends and the commission’s recommendations, with automatic adjustments possible for the legislative salary.

Note: This summary reflects the text and intent of HCR 2002 as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be made during the legislative process.

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

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