Senate Joint Resolution 11 would allow Utah voters to decide in the November 2006 election whether to limit governors - including Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. - to eight years in office.

Huntsman legal adviser Mike Lee said such a cap is similar to those in 35 other states and would preserve the integrity of Utah's election process from manipulation by any one politician. He noted abuses in former Soviet republics, where candidates were re-elected time and again.

"We just need to be cautious that we take these prophylactic measures that will keep the chief executive from accumulating so much power that they disrupt the republican form of government," Lee said.

But Constitutional Revision Commission members worried setting term limits will take away the public's choice and make governors less responsive. "Every time you put a term limit on, you take away a choice of voters. We do it because we don't think voters are smart enough or active enough to make the choice," said Byron Harward, a former legislator.

And Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Christine Durham wondered about the "lame duck factor."

"When everybody knows at the beginning of the second term the governor's only got 3 1/2 years, how much does that diminish the governor's effectiveness during the second term?" she asked.

Lee said the benefits of term limits outweigh the disadvantages by "protecting the power of the state from usurpation by a single personality."

After members defeated a motion to study the issue, they endorsed the resolution. The commission also signed off on proposed constitutional amendments to allow the recall of local government leaders and establish a redistricting commission.

Salt Lake City Democratic Rep. Roz McGee tried to no avail last year to get her colleagues to consider turning over the task of redrawing legislative and congressional districts to a nonpartisan group. This year may be equally difficult, she acknowledges.

"It's time we move this to a forum where the public and legislators can discuss it," McGee said. "Whether I can get it in a [legislative] committee is another thing."

Each amendment must be approved by two-thirds of the House and the Senate in order to be placed on the next general election ballot.