Sec. 1. 3 MRSA §22-A is enacted to read:

§22-A.__Secretary of Senate; term limitation

A person may not serve as Secretary of the Senate for more than 4 consecutive legislative bienniums.__Service in this capacity before December 2, 1998 is not included in the calculation of years served.

Sec. 2. 3 MRSA §42-A is enacted to read:

§42-A.__Clerk of House of Representatives; term limitation

A person may not serve as Clerk of the House of Representatives for more than 4 consecutive legislative bienniums.__Service in this capacity before December 2, 1998 is not included in the calculation of years served.

Sec. 3. Retroactivity. This Act takes effect retroactively to December 2, 1998.

SUMMARY

This bill places term limits on the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House of Representatives. The limitations are similar to those in current law for the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives and floor leaders, except that the term limitations for those officers are 6 years and this bill sets the term limitations for the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House of Representatives at 8 years. The calculation of the limitation period commences with the first convening of the 119th Legislature.