SPRINGFIELD—Citing Illinois' infamous reputation for corruption, State Representative Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) filed a constitutional amendment this week to create retroactive term limits in Illinois.
HJRCA44 provides that each General Assembly office is limited to 12 years and each executive branch office is limited to eight years, specifically:
- A State Senator may not be elected to office for more than 12 years
- A State Representative may not be elected to office for more than 12 years
- An individual can serve a combined 24 years in the General Assembly
- No person can be elected to an Executive Branch office for more than 8 years
- Time served prior to the adoption of this amendment would also be considered in the calculation of years of service
Batinick has long advocated for term limits in the General Assembly, but with the uptick in corruption plaguing the State House, the representative deemed the retroactive addition necessary to firmly part with the status quo.
“No amount of laws will make us immune to corruption, but we can minimize the root cause,” said Rep. Batinick. “If we are serious about ethics reform, this is a strong start to prevent concentrated power—and the influence peddling that goes along with that. To part with the corruption that has become the norm for us and the disappointment of our taxpayers, we need change.”
The purpose of Batinick's proposal is to make retroactive term limits a constitutional amendment to be put on the ballot in the November 2020 election. Should HJRCA44 pass, those who currently exceed these term limits would be able to finish out their term, but cannot run for reelection.
“We need term limits in Illinois to move forward to responsible and transparent government,” continued Batinick. “Until that happens, we will continue to wade through the old ways of governing that made Illinois synonymous with corruption.”
As legislative session resumes, Representative Batinick will continue the push for ethics reform, including HJRCA44. Currently, the legislation is awaiting further consideration in the Rules Committee.
