Louisiana’s Term Limit Push for Governors Falls Short in House

A big political move in Baton Rouge fails to win enough votes in the Louisiana House. A measure to prevent someone from serving as governor for three or more terms failed by a very close margin.

Chalmette Representative Michael Bayham’s proposed constitutional amendment needed 70 votes, but it only got 67. There were 22 no votes, and 16 members did not vote. New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry supported the proposal and called it a good bill.

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The constitution currently only allows a person to serve two *consecutive* terms. But if former governors John Bel Edwards or Bobby Jindal wanted to run for governor next year, they could under our current laws. But Bayham says they’ve already had their chance, and eight years is enough for future governors.

He says "we have 4.6 million people in our state. We have plenty of talented people who can serve as executive of Louisiana."

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Bayham says when legislative term limits were brought to the people in 1995, 76% of the state voted to put term limits in place and he thinks a vast majority of voters would also support term limits for Governor.

No one spoke in opposition. Bayham can bring the measure up for another vote to see if he can get the 70 votes needed to send the proposal to the Senate.

If the proposed legislation can get two-thirds approval in both the House and the Senate, voters would decide if it should be added to the state’s constitution.