North Dakota House approved a bill to change the new term limits law

Bismarck, North Dakota – The new term limits statute will be amended by a constitutional amendment that the North Dakota House has adopted.

The governor and state parliamentarians are only permitted to serve eight years in office, or two four-year terms, under the law, which was approved in the general election last year.

According to a recent plan put forth by Fargo Republican Rep. Jim Kasper, the term limit for legislators, the governor, and other executive branch positions would be extended to 12 years. Additionally, it would permit lawmakers to return to the House or Senate after a four-year absence to serve another 12 years. Also, they might spend 12 years in the other chamber.

“Assume you’re a business owner with 94 employees. Let’s further assume that the law of North Dakota is that every eight years, you must fire 100 percent of your employees and replace them with all new employees,” Kasper said.

Opponents of Kasper’s proposal said when voters okayed the term limits statute, they understood that legislators could not propose amendments to term limits.

Kasper’s proposal, according to Minot Republican Rep. Lori VanWinkle, is unlawful.

The Senate will now debate the bill after it was approved by a vote of 63 to 29.