Two proposals from Sen. Blaise Ingoglia that could cap the tenures of long-standing legislators in Tallahassee and throughout the state have cleared the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee.
First, the committee approved SJR 536, which proposes a constitutional amendment on the 2026 General Election ballot.
It would potentially block legislators who served two full terms in the Senate and four years in the House (16 years total) from returning for more time in the legislative branch.
An amendment from the temporarily absent Sen. Erin Grall that was presented by Jenn Bradley would have relaxed the cap to 24 years total. But it was deemed unfriendly by the sponsor and failed by a 3-3 vote.
Bradley is concerned by the “lifetime ban” that could result from Ingoglia’s measure, though she acknowledged the “ping pong” of legislators between one office and the other.
“If you serve and years later you want to come back and serve your community, I think that’s the most American thing you can do,” the Clay County Republican said.
Ingoglia is open to a “time certain” element to the language that could open up potential returns after a certain point for legislators, and that theoretically is something that could be seen at a future committee stop.
Monday’s committee also approved SJR 802, which seeks a separate amendment setting eight-year term limits for County Commissions and School Boards, though terms of office that started before the 2022 General Election would be off the clock under this proposal.
Bradley proposed a change to this bill as well, starting the clock with the 2026 election and extending the term limit to 12 years. That amendment, also filed by an absent Grall, failed as well.
Stakeholders from around the state slammed Ingoglia’s measure in comment ahead of debate and the vote.
Jeff Scala of the Florida Association of Counties protested the proposal’s “one-size-fits-all approach,” saying the amendment would block the popular will in individual counties.
Wakulla County Commissioner Ralph Thomas said the “distant, uniform mandate … flies in the face of principles upon which our country and state were founded” and that the bill is an “affront to the spirit of liberty.”
Debate transcended party lines.
Vice Chair Mack Bernard, a Democrat, said he supported the bill but worried it would hurt the interest of small counties and saw “work that could be done.”
Grall, who arrived too late to get her amendments onto the bills, spoke of the need for “institutional knowledge” and said she was a “no” on the bill because the “number is wrong.”
“Eight’s the wrong number,” Grall said.
Ingoglia said polling showed voters wanted eight-year term limits.
“All we’re saying is put it on the ballot,” the Spring Hill Republican said.
Both Senate measures have two committee stops ahead. The House companions for each have not been heard, but both have only been referred to two committees total.
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