SENATE INFORMATION

On November 3, 1992, Missouri voters approved by a margin of 75 percent an amendment to the state's constitution (Article III, Section 8) limiting the years a legislator may serve in the General Assembly. Prior to this provision, Missouri had no legislative term limits.

As originally adopted, the amendment limited the service of individuals elected to the General Assembly to a maximum of eight years in the Missouri House of Representatives and eight years in the Missouri Senate. The amendment also excluded from term-limit calculations any legislative service initiated from elections held prior to the original term limits effective date of December 3, 1992.

In 2002, voters amended the term limit provision (Article III, Section 8) to allow those filling seats vacated after a term's midpoint the opportunity to subsequently run for up to four complete two-year House terms and/or up to two complete four-year Senate terms. Prior to this provision, any partial service counted as a full term, effectively becoming the first of four possible two-year House terms and/or the first of two possible four-year Senate terms.

Lawmakers completing un-expired terms at the time of the partial service provision's 2002 passage must still count their partial service as full terms in term-limit calculations. Senator Victor Callahan was the first Senate member able to exclude partial service from his term limit calculation.

In the Senate, term limits rendered three members ineligible to run for Senate re-election in 2006. Five current members will be ineligible to run for Senate re-election in 2008.

These numbers are subject to change as members may resign, retire or be defeated at their next election.

Article III - Legislative Department

Section 8 - Term limitations for members of General Assembly.

Term limits language as originally adopted November 3, 1992

On November 3, 1992, Missouri voters approved by a margin of 75 percent an amendment to the state's constitution (Article III, Section 8) limiting the years a legislator may serve in the General Assembly. Prior to this provision, Missouri had no legislative term limits.

As originally adopted, the amendment limited the service of individuals elected to the General Assembly to a maximum of eight years in the Missouri House of Representatives and eight years in the Missouri Senate. The amendment also excluded from term-limit calculations any legislative service initiated from elections held prior to the original term limits effective date of December 3, 1992.

In 2002, voters amended the term limit provision (Article III, Section 8) to allow those filling seats vacated after a term's midpoint the opportunity to subsequently run for up to four complete two-year House terms and/or up to two complete four-year Senate terms. Prior to this provision, any partial service counted as a full term, effectively becoming the first of four possible two-year House terms and/or the first of two possible four-year Senate terms.

Lawmakers completing un-expired terms at the time of the partial service provision's 2002 passage must still count their partial service as full terms in term-limit calculations. Senator Victor Callahan was the first Senate member able to exclude partial service from his term limit calculation.

In the Senate, term limits rendered three members ineligible to run for Senate re-election in 2006. Five current members will be ineligible to run for Senate re-election in 2008.

These numbers are subject to change as members may resign, retire or be defeated at their next election.