Arizona Senate for passed a bill, HCR2010, that calls on Congress to convene an Article V convention. Supporters of an Article V convention hope to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution regarding fiscal restraint, limited federal power, and term limits on members of Congress.
“The Framers of the Constitution provided states with this important check on federal power,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Kelly Townsend. “The U.S. Congress has demonstrated its inability to rein in federal spending or limit the size and scope of the federal government, so it’s time the states exercised this power and did it for them.”
“Today’s passage in the Senate is a huge victory for Arizona taxpayers, and I thank the grassroots activists who have worked tirelessly to make an Article V convention a reality,” concluded Townsend.
In order to convene a constitutional convention, the U.S. Congress must receive applications from the legislatures of two-thirds of the states. Yet Sen. Steve Farley, who has been known to use the alias, Steve Franks, in order to avoid public records laws, is already in a panic. Farley told constituents in a Facebook post: “Now that this has passed in Arizona, if only four more states follow suit the machinery will swing into place and the Constitution that has withstood so much for so long as a model for the entire world will be at grave risk from the short-sighted actions of a few people who are likely not endowed with the wisdom of our founders.”
The vote fell along party lines. Farley and others are joined in opposition to the bill by members of the John Birch Society.
Arizona is now the ninth state to make an application for a Convention of States; joining Georgia, Alaska, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Indiana in an effort to restrain the size, scope, and jurisdiction of the federal government.
| MEMBER | VOTE | MEMBER | VOTE | MEMBER | VOTE | MEMBER | VOTE | |||
| ALLEN S | Y | BARTO | Y | BORRELLI | Y | BOWIE | N | |||
| BRADLEY | N | BROPHY MCGEE | Y | BURGES | N | CAJERO BEDFORD | N | |||
| CONTRERAS | N | DALESSANDRO | N | FANN | Y | FARLEY | N | |||
| FARNSWORTH D | Y | GRIFFIN | Y | HOBBS | N | KAVANAGH | Y | |||
| LESKO | Y | MENDEZ | N | MEZA | N | MIRANDA | N | |||
| MONTENEGRO | Y | OTONDO | N | PESHLAKAI | N | PETERSEN | Y | |||
| PRATT | Y | QUEZADA | N | SMITH | Y | WORSLEY | Y | |||
| YEE | Y | YARBROUGH | Y |
HCR 2010: application; Article V convention
Abstract
Relating to a call for an Article V convention to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
Provisions
1. Urges Congress to call an Article V convention of the states to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution that will:
a. Impose fiscal restraints on the Federal Government;
b. Limit the power and jurisdiction of the Federal Government; and
c. Limit the terms of office for its officials and members of Congress.
2. Continues this application until at least two-thirds of the state legislatures have made applications on the same subjects.
3. Asserts that this application is revoked, withdrawn, nullified and superseded, retroactive to the date of enactment if the application is used for any other purpose.
4. Allows the Arizona Legislature to provide further instruction to its delegates and recall them at any time for a breach of duty or violation of instructions including the failure to support 12 year term limits for members of Congress.
5. Instructs the Arizona Secretary of the State to transmit copies of this resolution to specified individuals.
Current Law
The U.S. Constitution states that Constitutional amendments may be proposed by either:
a. Two-thirds of both chambers of Congress; or
b. An application of two-thirds of state legislatures calling a convention of the states to propose amendments. (Article V, U.S. Constitution)
The U.S. Constitution states that a proposed constitutional amendment must be ratified by threefourths of the states before it can become effective.