BOISE, Idaho, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Gov. Dirk Kempthorne kept his word Thursday and vetoed a measure to repeal Idaho's term limits that was passed with overwhelming legislative support.
"Today, I affirm the power vested in the people," Kempthorne, a Republican, wrote in his veto message.
Supporters of ending term limits in the Legislature believe they have enough votes to override the veto. If the effort succeeds, Idaho would be the first state to repeal voter approved term limits.
On Wednesday, the Senate by a 28-7 vote and last week's 50-20 vote in the House was more than enough to override the governor's veto. Floor sessions were scheduled for Friday to attempt an override.
House Speaker Bruce Newcomb, R-Burley, said so far no legislators have indicated they will abandon the movement to repeal term limits
Idaho's term limits are in their statutes, so the Legislature can repeal them without a popular vote. In most states, term limits are part of the constitution and any change requires a popular vote. The only other states with statutory term limits are Maine, Utah and Wyoming.
"For me, this is a matter of the people's will," Kempthorne wrote. "I cannot say to the people who elected me to office that I respect their decision in my case, but reject their collective judgment -- on the very same ballot -- when they affirmed their support for term limits."
The governor added, "It is a question of process, and the will of the voters of Idaho cannot be ignored and must be protected."
In 1994, Idaho voters enacted term limits of eight years in the House and eight years in the Senate with nearly 60 percent of the vote. The state's Legislature will not be affected by term limits until 2004.
Stacie Rumenap, executive director of U.S. Term Limits, a Washington-based lobbying group, said: "It's unconscionable and a clear conflict of interest for the Idaho Legislature to attempt to undo voter-approved term limits. Voters have supported eight year limits at every opportunity, and given the opportunity, we're confident they will continue to support these same limits."
Since the modern movement began in the 1980s, 18 states have passed legislative term limits, including Idaho. However, term limits are under assault nationwide.
A court challenge to Montana's legislative term limits is also pending. Oral arguments are scheduled to begin next week, and the state Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling before the March 21 candidate filing deadline.
And Oregon's state Supreme Court declared their legislative term limits unconstitutional earlier this month. It was the first term limits law to be overturned by the courts since 1997, when Massachusetts and Washington's term limits were held unconstitutional by the state Supreme Courts
Oregon's term limits were the strictest in the nation as legislators faced a lifetime limit of six years in the House and eight years in the Senate. In addition to the chamber specific limits, however, legislators were limited to a total of 12 years in the Legislature.
The court didn't decide the case on the merits of term limits themselves. Rather, the justices found that initiative that imposed term limits in Oregon violated the state's "separate vote" rule for constitutional amendments.
Under this rule, each constitutional amendment must be voted upon by the public separately. The court said that Measure 3 (the proposed term limits) violated that rule because it added two sections to Article II of the state constitution via a single ballot question.
Rep. Ruby Stone, R-Boise, an opponent of term limits, argues they strip the government of lawmakers with experience, and voters of their responsibility to choose qualified leaders.
"We have had term limits in the state of Idaho ever since this state started voting. And that is called the ballot box," Stone said.
