The impact of constitutionally imposed term limits on the efficacy of the California State Legislature: Perceptions of government leaders

The problem to which this study was directed was the relatively new American political trend of states' adoption of constitutionally imposed term limits upon state legislative bodies and the extent to which constitutionally imposed term limits has impacted the organizational leadership, demographics, and overall efficacy of the California State Legislature since term limits were imposed there in 1996.;The purpose of this study was to analyze the extent to which constitutionally imposed term limits has impacted the organizational leadership, demographics, and overall efficacy of the California State Legislature based on the perceptions of current state legislators and local government elected leaders. This study sought to examine how elected members' performance and conduct, power structures, demographics, and organizational leadership have been impacted since term limits took effect in 1996.;The study concluded that despite the aforementioned perceptions and even a major state crisis attributable to fall out from the adoption of term limits law, the People of the State of California still support term limits legislation.The study finally concluded the subject of the impact of term limits on the efficacy of the California Legislature is timely, important and has significant implications worthy of consideration and further study by politcal scientists, organizational leadership practitioners, legislative leaders and political parties. Future research should be conducted on this subject by representatives from each of these groups, working in a non-partisan manner, to find improved alternatives to existing term limits law toward the common goals of: forestalling political careerism, reducing special interest influence, providng continued opportunities for new and diverse individuals to serve, and improving the overall efficacy of the California State Legislature.