March 23 - Today in Legal History
March 23, 1998 - Supreme Court Upholds Term Limits for State Lawmakers
The U.S. Supreme Court allows California's lawmaker term limits to stand. In refusing to hear an appeal in Bates v. Jones, the Court leaves in place a federal appeals court decision declaring that California's Proposition 140 term limits were constitutional under the 1st and 14th Amendments. Proposition 140 limits members of the California State Assembly to three 2-year terms and members of the California State Senate to two 4-year terms, while imposing a lifelong ban on candidates' seeking the same office once the limits have been reached.
Related resources:
- Audio: Federal Election Reform (Justice Talking)
- Bates v. Jones (FindLaw)
- U.S. Supreme Court Center (FindLaw)
