A sensible adjustment to Nebraska’s term limits

The principle of term limits is a sound one. In the U.S. Congress, where too many seats are held by creatures of the Paleolithic era, the idea of rotating new blood into elected office is overdue. Some lawmakers seem determined to age in place rather than yield to the next generation of public servants. In that context, extending term limits would be the wrong direction.

Nebraska’s Legislature, however, is a different story. Ours is a citizen legislature—part-time by design and deeply reliant on ordinary citizens stepping up to serve. In such a system, learning the intricacies of lawmaking takes time. Learning how not to be hoodwinked by lobbyists and special interest groups takes even longer. Unlike Congress, where full-time staffers and deep institutional knowledge buffer the learning curve, Nebraska’s senators often find themselves learning the ropes the hard way, just in time to be shown the door.

That is why we support LR19CA, the proposal advanced last week to allow Nebraska senators to serve three consecutive four-year terms rather than two. We agree with the senators who have emphasized that this change is not about building permanent political fiefdoms. Instead, it is about ensuring that citizen-legislators have a fair chance to become effective before they are forced out.

The evidence from other term-limited states is clear: when legislators leave before they master the system, power does not simply evaporate. It shifts. Specifically, it shifts to lobbyists, bureaucrats, and other unelected players who know how the machinery works. A national study of lobbyists in term-limited states found near-unanimous agreement that their influence had grown under strict term limits. Meanwhile, bureaucrats—who are not subject to elections—naturally fill the knowledge gap left behind by inexperienced lawmakers. The risk, then, is that policy decisions are increasingly shaped by those who face little or no public accountability.

Nebraska’s system, unique in the nation with its single chamber, lacks a natural “farm team” of lower-house legislators ready to step into leadership. As Speaker John Arch rightly pointed out, in the 2025 session nearly one-third of senators were new, and 11 of 15 committee chairs were serving their first terms in leadership roles. These numbers are not just statistics; they reflect a real and growing challenge to the quality of governance in our state.

We commend Sen. Robert Dover for introducing a measure that respects the original spirit of term limits while adjusting for the realities of effective governance. We also appreciate the Executive Board’s decision to move the ballot question to the May 2026 primary election, giving voters an earlier opportunity to decide the issue.

Importantly, we also support the rejection of an amendment that would have imposed a lifetime three-term cap. A one-size-fits-all restriction would have unfairly penalized those who, after stepping away to focus on careers or families, might later return to public service with fresh energy and perspective.

Extending Nebraska’s legislative term limits is not an invitation to permanent officeholding. It is a practical move to balance accountability with the need for experience. Voters will have the final say, but in our view, LR19CA deserves support.