SJR 7, a bill extending term limits to the statewide offices of Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, and State Auditor, was pre-filed on December 17th by Senator Jim Lembke (r).

The 2010 Senate bill as pre-filed:

FIRST REGULAR SESSION

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 7 [pdf]

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY SENATOR LEMBKE.

Pre-filed December 17, 2010, and ordered printed.

TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.

0539S.01I

JOINT RESOLUTION

Submitting to the qualified voters of Missouri, an amendment repealing section 17 of article IV of the Constitution of Missouri, and adopting one new section in lieu thereof relating to term limits for statewide elected officials.

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring therein:

That at the next general election to be held in the state of Missouri, on Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 2012, or at a special election to be called by the governor for that purpose, there is hereby submitted to the qualified voters of this state, for adoption or rejection, the following amendment to article IV of the Constitution of the state of Missouri:

Section A. Section 17, article IV, Constitution of Missouri, is repealed and one new section adopted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 17, to read as follows:

Section 17. The governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer and attorney general shall be elected at the presidential elections for terms of four years each. The state auditor shall be elected for a term of two years at the general election in the year 1948, and his successors shall be elected for terms of four years. No person shall be elected governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state auditor, or treasurer more than twice, and no person who has held the office of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state auditor, or treasurer, or acted as governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state auditor, or treasurer, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected to the office of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state auditor, or treasurer shall be elected to the office of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state auditor, or treasurer more than once. The heads of all the executive departments shall be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate. All appointive officers may be removed by the governor and shall possess the qualifications required by this constitution or by law.

[emphasis in original]

Interesting. Placing term limits on all of the executive offices of the state. Yet, in 2009 a republican sponsored a bill increasing the number of years for legislators (twelve in each body, twenty-four years total):

FIRST REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 39

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES FUNDERBURK (Sponsor), FRANZ, SCHAD, JONES (89), WELLS, POLLOCK, PARKINSON, SILVEY, DIECKHAUS, GRILL, ROORDA, COLONA, OXFORD, WALTON GRAY, SCHIEFFER, ALLEN, GATSCHENBERGER, ENGLUND, McGHEE, SANDER AND ATKINS (Co-sponsors).

2375L.01I                                                                                                                                                  D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk

JOINT RESOLUTION

Submitting to the qualified voters of Missouri an amendment repealing section 8 of article III of the Constitution of Missouri, and adopting one new section in lieu thereof relating to term limitations.

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring therein:

That at the next general election to be held in the state of Missouri, on Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 2010, or at a special election to be called by the governor for that purpose, there is hereby submitted to the qualified voters of this state, for adoption or rejection, the following amendment to article III of the Constitution of the state of Missouri:

Section A. Section 8, article III, Constitution of Missouri, is repealed and one new section adopted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 8, to read as follows:

Section 8. No one shall be elected to serve more than [eight] twelve years total in any one house of the General Assembly nor more than [sixteen] twenty-four years total in both houses of the General Assembly. In applying this section, service in the General Assembly resulting from an election prior to December 3, 1992, or service of less than one year, in the case of a member of the house of representatives, or two years, in the case of a member of the senate, by a person elected after the effective date of this section to complete the term of another person, shall not be counted.

[emphasis in original]

Hmmm. You’d think republicans would be more consistent with their legislative priorities, unless there was some sort of tension between the executive and the legislative branches. You think?