State Senate votes against term limits for lawmakers

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According to a poll commissioned by the organization and conducted by McLaughlin and Associates 84% of Alabamians want term limits placed on Members of Congress, but only nine state senators voted to bring a term limits bill to the floor for debate on Wednesday.

State Sens. Bill Hightower, Trip Pittman, Paul Sanford, Bill Holtzclaw, Greg Reed, Larry Stutts, Phil Williams, Rusty Glover and Arthur Orr voted in favor of bringing SB127 to the floor for debate. But the bill failed a procedural motion, 9-15, to do so.

“Today’s decision by Montgomery Insiders to vote against legislative term limits legislation epitomizes why Alabama voters are so frustrated with their state government,” said the bill’s sponsor, Mobile-Republican state Senator, and candidate for Governor, Bill Hightower. “More than four in five Alabama voters believe we need term limits, but career politicians understand this is a threat to their personal ambition and power.  This morning the Montgomery Insiders put cronyism and smoke-filled backroom deals above the people they are supposed to represent.”

SB127 would have proposed an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama that would provide that no person may be elected to either house of the state Legislature for more than three consecutive four-year terms.

Currently, most other constitutional offices in Alabama have term or age limits.  
Hightower’s term limits legislation is a key component of his gubernatorial platform — the Alabama First Agenda, which is focused on reforming the way Montgomery operates.
“We will not stop until we end the old boys network that is stopping real change!,” Hightower continued. “We will never change Montgomery if we continue to elect the same insiders, and that is why I am running for Governor, to shake up the establishment and bring positive change to Alabama. As Governor, we will continue to push for term limits and many other reforms that the career politicians know will end their grip on power,” concluded Hightower.
Most all of the senators who voted in favor of bringing SB127 up for debate, are all self-term limited:
  1.  Sen. Bill Hightower: self term limited after 2 terms
  2. Sen. Trip Pittman: self term limited after 3 terms
  3. Sen. Paul Sanford: self term limited after 3 terms
  4. Sen. Bill Holtzclaw: self term limited after 2 terms
  5. Sen. Phil Williams: self term limited after 2 terms
  6. Sen. Rusty Glover: self term limited after 3 terms