PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona state senators would serve four years in office instead of two under a proposal championed by Senate President Steve Yarbrough that advanced in the house Thursday.
The House Committee on Government approved Yarbrough’s proposal on a 5-3 vote, sending it to the full House for consideration. The Senate already approved the measure on a 19-11 vote, so House approval would send his measure to the 2018 general election ballot for voters to consider.
Yarbrough, a Republican, said senators serving longer terms would focus more on representing their districts and less on campaigning for office. Yarbrough also said the measure would mean “less clutter, less campaign mail, (and) less clean elections costs.”
“I should point out that about 90 percent of the members of the state Senate are former House members,” Yarbrough said.
Yarbrough said 32 states around the nation elect state senators to four year terms and House members to two year terms.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 1027 would establish the longer terms for Arizona’s 30 state senators and limit them to two consecutive terms starting in 2023.
Rep. Bob Thorpe, R-Flagstaff said he would support amending the bill to also include extending House lawmakers’ terms from two years to four years.
“This idea of four year terms has been kicked around for a while and I know for myself I don’t look forward to six months from now starting to think about re-election again,” Thorpe said.
Rep. Ken Clark, D-Phoenix, voted against the measure because he said it would further confuse voters.
“I do like the idea of accountability that we do run every two years - if people are not doing a great job, they’re out,” Clark said.
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