Attorney General Dustin McDaniel's office says past service in the Legislature counts toward new term limits lawmakers face under a voter-approved amendment.
McDaniel's office said in an advisory opinion Tuesday that years served in the Legislature are to be counted in calculating term limits under a constitutional amendment voters approved in November.
The amendment increases the amount of time legislators can spend in office from 14 years to 16 - and allows them to spend it all in one chamber. Previously they were limited to three two-year terms in the House and two four-year terms in the Senate.
The head of the state Chamber of Commerce last month questioned whether the 16-year limit "starts anew" with the amendment's passage.
The opinion was requested by a sponsor of the constitutional amendment.
