WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HF 1849

Term limits provided for governor and lieutenant governor, and constitutional amendment proposed.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Keith Allen and 21 co-sponsors

The bill would establish constitutional term limits for Minnesota’s governor and lieutenant governor, formalizing maximum terms through a proposed amendment.

Motion did not prevail
#constitutionalamendments #elections #stateofficials
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HF 1849

Bill Summary: HF 1849 (2025-2026) – Term Limits for Governor and Lieutenant Governor; Constitutional Amendment Proposed

Overview

HF 1849 introduces term limits for the offices of Minnesota governor and lieutenant governor and proposes a constitutional amendment to implement those limits. The bill outlines the maximum number of terms a governor and lieutenant governor may serve and establishes when term counting begins. It also outlines the process by which the constitutional amendment would be proposed and potentially ratified.

Purpose and Intent

  • Establish clear term limits for the governor and lieutenant governor.
  • Create a constitutional mechanism to anchor these term limits in Minnesota’s constitution.
  • Provide a defined pathway for voters to ratify the proposed amendment, ensuring the term limit framework has enduring statutory and constitutional footing.

Key Provisions and Changes (Substantive Provisions)

  • Term Limits for Governor and Lieutenant Governor:
    • The bill sets a maximum number of terms that either the governor or the lieutenant governor may serve. (Exact term counts are not specified in the provided summary; the text would specify whether terms are four years each, and whether terms are consecutive or non-consecutive.)
    • It may include rules on partial terms, vacancies, or succession that affect eligibility timelines.
  • Counting of Terms:
    • Provisions typically address how terms are counted (e.g., counting partial terms served prior to the amendment, and how time served in acting capacities is treated).
  • Constitutional Amendment Process:
    • The bill proposes a constitutional amendment and outlines the required legislative and voter steps to place the amendment on the ballot (e.g., passage in a majority of the Legislature and subsequent voter ratification).
    • It would specify the effective date of the amendment, if enacted, and any transitional rules.
  • Implementation Details:
    • Potential implementation timelines for when term limits become effective (e.g., not retroactive, or applies to terms commencing after a certain date).
    • Compliance and enforcement mechanisms (e.g., what happens if a current officeholder has previously served beyond the limit, or how term-limit eligibility is determined for individuals who have served as both governor and lieutenant governor).

Who Would Be Affected

  • Individuals currently serving as Minnesota governor or lieutenant governor, and future officeholders in those positions.
  • State executive offices, including those who have or may occupy the governor or lieutenant governor roles in the future.
  • The state constitution, through the proposed amendment, once ratified by voters.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Introduction and First Reading: March 3, 2025.
  • Committee Actions:
    • Initially referred to State Government Finance and Policy (early stage in 2025).
    • Subsequent moves included recall/re-refer steps and actions by Elections Finance and Government Operations committees.
    • March 12, 2026: Committee report “to adopt as amended and re-refer to Rules and Legislative Administration.”
    • May 4, 2026: Committee report “to adopt” and second reading.
  • Sponsorship:
    • Primary sponsor and a broad list of co-sponsors from across the Minnesota House, with multiple lawmakers added/removed during the bill’s progression (notably Virnig and Rarick were added as authors at different stages).
  • Referral and Amendment Path:
    • The bill has undergone amendments and re-referrals, indicating complex negotiation around term counts, transitional rules, and the constitutional amendment process.

Notes for readers

  • Specific numeric details (e.g., exact term limit counts, whether limits are consecutive vs. non-consecutive, and the precise constitutional amendment language) are not provided in the summary data. To understand the precise limits and eligibility rules, consult the bill’s text as reported by the committee and any amendments adopted during the 2025-2026 session.
  • If enacted and ratified, the term limits would affect future election eligibility for Minnesota’s top executive offices and would be embedded in the state constitution, making changes more durable and harder to overturn without another constitutional amendment.

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

Sign in to ask a question.