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Schwarzenegger calls state term limits law ‘crazy’

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has advocated changes to the state’s legislative term limits law in the past, called California’s term limit laws “crazy” Thursday.

 

Schwarzenegger made his remarks in San Francisco at a speech to the Association of Community College Trustees’ Leadership Congress.

 

The governor also explicitly made the threat circulating around the Capitol for weeks — that he would veto hundreds of bills currently on his desk if lawmakers can not agree on a water deal.

 

"I made it very clear to the legislators and to the leaders that if this does not get done then I will veto a lot of their legislation, a lot of their bills. So that should inspire them to go and to get the job done and to get the water for not only 18 million people but for the 50 million people that we will be in the near future." 

 

Schwarzenegger’s comments about term limits came after he was introduced by Community College Chancellor Jack Scott, a former chairman of the Senate Education Committee.

 

“I actually miss him now that he's not there but I know he was termed out because we have these crazy term limits here in California and people that are that experienced like him then have to leave and move on,” Schwarzenegger said.

 

Schwarzenegger has advocated changes in the state’s term limits law before. In 2008, he supported Proposition 93, which would have reduced the overall years a lawmaker can serve in the Legislature from 14 to 12, but would have allowed the lawmaker to serve all 12 years in one legislative house.

 

Current law allows members to serve three two-year terms in the Assembly and two four-year terms in the state Senate.

 

A new proposal to alter California’s term limits law has been submitted to the Attorney General’s office for review. The measure seeks changes similar to those proposed in Proposition 93.

 

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