Several prefiled bills for the upcoming legislative session in the S.C. General Assembly propose to establish term limits for legislators serving in the two houses of the body.

The most popular limits, prefiled in both Houses, are six terms for representatives and four terms for senators. The proposed limits in both Houses would be sufficient to allow legislators to be fully vested for retirement and health benefits.

A bill calling for shorter limits of four terms in the House and two terms in the Senate has also been prefiled. In a state where over 90 percent of incumbents who run for re-election are returned each election cycle, this may be the only way of guaranteeing significant changes in the General Assembly makeup.