A study conducted by an independent research group finds term limits in Michigan are not working out as planned. A pair of Wayne State University professors interviewed 460 state legislators since term limits were adopted by voters in 1992.
Eric Lupher is with the Citizens Research Council.
He says there are limits to the study, but some trends have emerged.
He says one is that Michigan legislators are typically focused on their next job.
“We find that legislators are spending more and more time on what we call electioneering," said Lupher. "So, even though an election may not be imminent, they’re always thinking about the next election.”
Michigan allows state House members to serve a total of six years, and state Senate members a total of eight years.
There are proposals to extend terms in Michigan, but polls suggest the current system remains popular with voters.
