As members of the Ohio State Senate, we believe in reforms that provide for better, more responsive governance. One of those reforms we strongly stand by is congressional term limits.

Congress, today, is controlled by career politicians who have been in power for decades, only seeking their own gain instead of working for the American people.

It’s time we put an end to this abuse.

That’s why we are proud to be champions of congressional term limits and have introduced Senate Joint Resolution 6. The legislation would add Ohio to a growing number of states calling for a laser-focused convention to propose a term limit amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Once proposed, the amendment would become law of the land after being ratified by 38 states. It’s an issue that is overwhelmingly backed by the voters nationwide and at home in Ohio, where 78% of voters of all political stripes say they support the idea.

Ohioans are no strangers to calls for term limits. Ohio has a long history in this regard. Back in 1992, 66% of Ohio voters approved a ballot measure limiting its U.S. senators to two consecutive six-year terms and U.S. representatives to four consecutive two-year terms. Twenty-two other states have passed similar limitations on their congressional delegations. However, one of those laws was challenged all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, and in a heartbreaking 5-4 split decision, all 23 state laws were struck down off the books.

Per the Court, term limits need to be proposed by way of an amendment and must apply across the board to all members.

That’s where SJR6 comes in. According to Article V of the Constitution, there are two methods of proposing desired amendments: one is by two-thirds of both chambers of Congress granting approval; the other is by two-thirds of the state legislatures passing a resolution to call a convention on an agreed-upon topic. In that convention, commissioners sent from the states would be able to deliberate and propose an amendment. In either case, three-fourths of the states must ratify any proposal for it to become law.

What many may not know is that the two methods of proposal often work in tension to produce much-needed amendments. Several amendments, including the one which placed term limits on the presidency, began as an Article V convention push, spearheaded by the state legislatures. The convention effort mounted pressure upon Congress, pushing them to act.

Because SJR6 is carefully tailored to be focused on just one amendment–and because that amendment directly pertains to members of Congress themselves–the outcome of this movement will result in Congress proposing its own term limits, because the alternative would be the states doing it to them.

This is not a partisan issue–it’s a common-sense safeguard for our democracy. Term limits ensure fresh ideas, renewed accountability, and a Congress that reflects the will of the people rather than entrenched political elites. They prevent the accumulation of unchecked power and encourage lawmakers to serve with the urgency and humility that come from knowing their time in office is finite. By passing SJR6, Ohio can once again lead the nation in demanding this long-overdue reform.

Ohio Sen. Theresa Gavarone is a Republican representing the state’s 2nd Senate District in Northwest Ohio. Ohio Sen. Jane Timken is a Republican representing the 29th Senate District in Northeast Ohio.