Statestats: countdown starts for term-limited lawmakers.

Term limits are here and now. For 52 of the nation's 2,615 state legislators subject to term limits, the end of their terms arrived in 1996. In Maine, 26 of 151 members of the House and four of 35 members of the Senate were ineligible to run for re-election in 1996. In California, 22 of the Assembly's 80 members could not run for reelection.

The tempo will increase dramatically in 1998 when time runs out for another 249 members in the California and Montana Senates, the Colorado House and Senate and the Arkansas, Michigan, Oregon and Washington House chambers.

The 1998 term limit casualty list hits hardest in the Arkansas, Michigan and Washington Houses. Half of Arkansas' 100 House members, 67 of Michigan's 110 members and 32 of 98 members in Washington are serving their final terms. The Oregon House will lose 22 of its 60 members in 1998 and in Montana, 12 of 50 senators will not be eligible for re-election. In California, the numbers are 16 of 80 in the Assembly and 11 of 40 in the Senate. Colorado's House will lose 18 of its 65 legislators, the Senate nine of 35 members. In Maine, 11 House members and one senator cannot run in 1998.

LIMITS HIT HARD IN 1998 In two years, some 249 members of 11 legislative chambers will be ineligible to run for re-election. Here's where they are: Michigan House 67 of 110 members Arkansas House 50 of 100 members Washington House 32 of 98 members Oregon House 22 of 60 members Colorado House 18 of 65 members California House 16 of 80 members Montana Senate 12 of 50 members Maine House 11 of 151 members California Senate 11 of 40 members Colorado Senate 9 of 35 members Maine Senate 1 of 35 members The turn of the century will see eight more legislative bodies joining the term limit parade: the House chambers in Florida, Missouri, Ohio and Montana, and both chambers in Arizona and South Dakota. In 2002, the Senate chambers will be affected in Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon and Washington, the House in Oklahoma and both...