Two Kentucky Republicans in the GOP-controlled General Assembly are proposing term limits on lawmakers — one at the federal level and one for themselves.
Rep. Kim Banta, R-Fort Mitchell, has filed a bill that would put the question to Kentucky voters in the form of a constitutional amendment imposing term limits on state legislators.
Meanwhile in the Senate, Majority Floor Leader Max Wise, of Campbellsville, filed a resolution that would add Kentucky to states seeking a national convention to propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution imposing term limits on members of Congress.
Asked about both proposals Tuesday, House Speaker David Osborne, R-Prospect, told reporters that lawmakers already have term limits — elections.
“Every two years we have elections. You look at the turnover of this body over the last six years, we have about 80 members that have served four terms or less. So, I think we have pretty effective term limits,” he said. “But that said, we will certainly look at them and discuss with the caucus and see what the will of the caucus is.”
Kentucky lawmakers are meeting for the second week of the 2026 legislative session, and neither bill has been given a committee hearing at this point. Both have GOP co-sponsors.
Banta told the Lantern Tuesday afternoon that she’s supported term limits since she began serving in the House in 2019. She added that she filed similar legislation in the past. This year’s version, House Bill 288, would limit Kentucky senators to four terms of four years and House members to six terms of two years if the amendment wins at the ballot box in November.
Banta has filed to seek reelection to a fifth term this year, though she told the Lantern that it would be her last.
Banta said she understands arguments like Osborne’s — that elections are the way to limit terms — but pointed to the advantages of incumbency. When a candidate has name ID and voters are busy, the same lawmaker can be elected year after year and “you don’t get those fresh voices.”
“You need to come in with some experience and you need to do your duty to the commonwealth, and then you need to go,” Banta said. “I just don’t think that this should be the kind of job that you burrow into and keep.”
If her legislation doesn’t move this year, Banta said she would file it again in 2027.
When asked about his legislation, Senate Joint Resolution 17, on Friday, Wise told reporters that after hearing constituents’ complaints about Congress during and after the federal government shutdown in late 2025, he believes term limits are a solution. The resolution doesn’t explicitly say how many years a congressional member could serve, but rather signals Kentucky would support a convention on the topic. Wise added that he thought the resolution could have support from Republicans and Democrats.
“I think a lot of people are very frustrated with the dysfunctional Congress. I think here at the state level, we do a lot of good work, we get a lot of things accomplished, but I think a lot of times we look at the federal level and say, man, just some things maybe need to change,” Wise said.