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HB 570

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE III, SECTION 4, OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO ESTABLISH TERM LIMITS FOR LEGISLATORS.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Garner Shimizu

Hawaii proposes constitutional amendment establishing legislative term limits, requiring supermajority passage and voter referendum approval before implementation.

Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
#constitutionalamendment #governmentreform(conam) #termlimits
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 570

Legislative bill overview

HB 570 proposes a constitutional amendment to establish term limits for members of Hawaii's legislature. The bill would modify Article III, Section 4 of the Hawaii Constitution to restrict how many consecutive terms lawmakers can serve. This requires passage by the legislature and voter approval through a general election referendum.

Why is this important

Term limits fundamentally reshape legislative dynamics by forcing turnover, affecting seniority systems, institutional knowledge, and the balance of power between experienced legislators and newcomers. Hawaii voters would decide whether term limits reduce entrenchment and increase responsiveness or whether they diminish legislative expertise and increase dependence on lobbyists and staff for institutional memory.

Potential points of contention

  • Constitutional amendment threshold: Requires 2/3 supermajority passage in both chambers and voter approval, making it a significant procedural hurdle that reflects the framers' intent to protect the constitution from frequent changes
  • Specific term limits unspecified: The bill text doesn't detail what the actual limits would be (e.g., 8 years, 12 years, lifetime bans), leaving crucial details for later legislative drafting
  • Impact on legislative power dynamics: Term limits could weaken the legislature relative to the executive branch and executive agencies, as governors and bureaucrats would accumulate comparative advantage in experience and institutional control

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

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