Opinion ID: 2569886
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Applying term limits prospectively

Text: While the parties generally agree that the term-limit provision applies prospectively from November 27, 1996, they dispute whether the prospective application includes within the years-of-service limitation terms served pursuant to the 1996 election. Specifically, petitioners assert that, even though the term-limit provision did not become effective until after the election, the term limit applies to terms of office that were filled based on that election, since the elected representatives did not commence serving in their offices until after the provision's effective date. In response, real parties in interest, the Washoe County Registrar of Voters, and the Legislature argue that terms of office filled by virtue of the 1996 election do not count toward the 12-year term limit because the real parties in interest were elected before the term-limit provision became effective. In so arguing, they rely on a statement in Torvinen providing that the amendment at issue in that case applie[d] prospectively only to elections held after its effective date, [31] and they contend that any other interpretation would constitute an improper retrospective application of the term limit.