A look at term limits.

Term limits in state legislatures have not accomplished many of the changes proponents promised, such as greater social, gender and racial diversity in legislatures and a decrease in political careerism. Instead they have given rise to inexperienced lawmakers and polarized legislatures. And they have tipped the balance of power away from legislatures and toward governors' offices and the executive branch. These are among the findings of "Coping with Term Limits, A Practical Guide," the first comprehensive, multi-state study of the effects of term limits conducted by the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Council on State Governments, the State Legislative Leaders Foundation and a group of political scientists.

"Term limits in states have done more to limit rather than enhance the effectiveness of the legislative branch," said Karl Kurtz, director of state services at NCSL and a lead researcher in the study. "By inhibiting the experience levels of members, their leaders and committee chairs, term-limited legislatures have lost a key element of organizational capacity. Instead of leveling the playing field between the legislative and executive branches, term limits have weakened the legislative branch in relation to executive power."

This fluctuating power has become most apparent in the budget-making process. In all but one of the term-limited states studied, influence over broad...