Nobody Owns a Seat: Four Texas Term Limit Plans Filed on Day One

Texas has no term limits for the Legislature.

None for the governor either.

On the first day of bill filing, four resolutions showed up in the Texas House to change that.

Plain English summary

On November 9, 2026, House members filed four joint resolutions that would put term limits in the Texas Constitution. FACT (House bills filed report)

HJR 34 by Rep. Shelby Slawson. No more than 12 consecutive years in the Texas House. No more than 12 consecutive years in the Texas Senate. No more than 12 consecutive years in a statewide executive office like governor or lieutenant governor. Judges are left out. Time served before 2027 does not count. It would go to voters on November 2, 2027. FACT (HJR 34 text)

HJR 28 by Rep. Carl Tepper. Caps a member at eight regular sessions in one chamber and 12 regular sessions across both. Caps statewide executive service at 16 years total. Service before 2029 does not count. FACT (HJR 28 text)

HJR 57 by Rep. Brian Harrison. One and done for the Speaker of the House. A member who has already served as Speaker during any regular session could not be elected Speaker again. FACT (HJR 57 text)

HJR 67 by Rep. Lopez-Resendez. Limits statewide executive officers, not legislators. FACT (House bills filed report)

Why it matters

Term limits have been filed before. They died quietly.

In 2025, Rep. Vasut filed HJR 44, Rep. Tepper filed HJR 95, and Rep. Hopper filed HJR 190. All three were referred to the House State Affairs Committee. That was the last action on each one. FACT (HJR 44, HJR 95, HJR 190)

Referred to committee. Never heard from again.

That is how a popular idea dies in Austin. Nobody votes against it. Nobody votes at all.

A constitutional amendment needs two thirds of the House and two thirds of the Senate before it ever reaches your ballot. FACT (Texas Constitution, Art. 17, Sec. 1) Then the voters decide. Not the Legislature. You.

The receipt

HJR 34 adds a new Section 7a to Article III of the Texas Constitution. It reads: "A person may not serve more than 12 consecutive years as a member of the house of representatives." The same line follows for the Senate. FACT (HJR 34)

It also adds Section 2a to Article IV for statewide executive offices, "other than a judicial office." FACT

Note the word consecutive. Under HJR 34, the limit applies to service in the same office. Time in the House and time in the Senate are not added together. FACT HJR 28 is tighter. It counts both chambers together and counts statewide office too. FACT

One more thing I found. The HJR 67 text posted on the Legislature's site still carries a heading from an older resolution and calls for an election on November 4, 2025, a date already past. FACT (HJR 67 PDF) That looks like a refiled draft that needs fixing before it can move. DOCUMENTED INFERENCE

What Ryan says

RYAN STATEMENT

I am running for office. So I will say this plain.

Nobody owns a seat. Not in Austin. Not anywhere.

You serve. You do the work. You go home and live under the laws you passed.

I like that four members filed these on day one.

But I have watched this movie. File it. Refer it. Bury it. Go home and tell the district you were for term limits.

Here is my ask. Give these a hearing in State Affairs. Put them on the floor. Let every member vote yes or no with their name on it.

Then send it to the people. If Texans want 12 years, Texans should get to say so.

The record will show who voted. And who hid.

What this does not prove

It does not prove any of these will pass. Filing is step one of a long road. FACT

It does not prove any member who filed one wants the others. They are different plans with different numbers.

It does not prove the leadership in either chamber will block them. That has not happened yet this session.

It does not prove term limits fix everything. Lobbyists and staff do not have terms. That is a fair argument on the other side.

What it does prove

It proves the idea is back, in writing, with four different authors, on the first day of filing. FACT

It proves the last three tries in 2025 never got past a committee referral. FACT

It proves the decision runs through two thirds of each chamber before it ever gets to you. FACT

The bottom line

Term limits are on the table again.

Not on the ballot. On the table.

Watch State Affairs. Watch the floor. Watch your own member.

This is the record.

Do not threaten anyone. Do not harass anyone. Do not contact anyone in my name. Read it. Share it. Send receipts, evidence, witnesses. Put eyes on the record.