A push for school board term limits overcame a significant hurdle Monday as a Florida Senate committee advanced legislation that would ask voters to force board members from office after eight consecutive years.
What makes the Ethics and Elections Committee’s party-line vote on SJR 1216 notable is sponsor Sen. Joe Gruters’ agreement to scale back his proposed limit to eight years from the original 12 he sought. In the past two legislative sessions, the limits concept ran aground in the Senate, where members were more insistent on longer terms.
“Eight years aligns with the current term limits in place,” Gruters told the panel. “It would provide consistency among elected officials.”
It also would make the Senate bill in line with the House version (HJR 157), which already has won approval in two committees.
The big question remains whether the idea can win a three-fifths majority in both chambers. It has some bipartisan support, especially in the House, but the Senate had holdouts in both parties a year ago, and that likely is where the issue will again be decided.
In Monday’s meeting, proponents and opponents offered their best arguments for their positions. They did not differ much from previous years.
On the plus side, supporters suggested that term limits offer space for fresh ideas and improved competition in elections, where incumbency drives away possible challenges.
“Term limits are the only real mechanism for change in Florida politics,” contended Nick Tomboulides, executive director of U.S. Term Limits.
On the down side, detractors argued that there’s no need for action. About 40 percent of school board members turn over naturally with each election cycle, they said, and incumbents tend to lose or step aside after about 10 years anyway.
Term limits serve to hurt a board’s institutional memory, they said, while taking true choice away from voters.
“There’s a learning curve in that job,” said Mike Budd, a Palm Beach County parent and retired Florida Atlantic University professor. “I don’t think, personally, that 12 years is enough. But eight years is not advisable.”
A couple of speakers called upon the panel to consider an option allowing voters to permit local counties to decide for themselves whether they want board term limits, rather than having a statewide vote to choose for all counties.
“Everybody wins,” said Rich Templin of the AFL-CIO.
If that is to happen, it will have to come in a future amendment. On Monday, the Ethics and Elections committee advanced the Gruters bill, with the amendment to eight years, by a narrow majority.
“This is about good government,” Gruters said. “You can tell term limits work by looking around this room and seeing all of us here.”
The bill next heads to Senate Education.
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Is eight enough? Florida Senate joins House in school board term limit debate. - Tampa Bay Times
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