List of state applications for an Article V Convention
This is a list of known applications made to the United States Congress by the states for a national convention to propose amendments to the United States Constitution under Article five of the Constitution.
The Congress, ..., on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments ...
Historically, Congress did not keep a formal record of applications received from the states for such a convention, beyond publication in the Congressional Record. However, on January 6, 2015 Congress began the process of counting applications submitted by the states with the passage of a House rule in the House of Representatives. The rule calls for publication of all applications for a convention "made in pursuance of Article V" as well as state legislators' rescissions of such applications. Notably the rule does not describe rescissions as being "in pursuance" of Article V.[1] In 1990, Judge Bruce Van Sickle and attorney Lynn M. Boughey compiled a list from the Congressional Record of state applications for an Article V Convention in the Hamline Law Review. This list of applications has been expanded and maintained by the organization Friends of the Article V Convention, which sponsored a complete review of the Congressional Record from 2008-2010. Whether the House of Representatives in future Congresses retains this Rule, and continues to compile and publish Article V Convention applications and rescissions, remains to be seen.
FOAVC has recently published the applications listed by amendment subject and by numeric count of applying states. Based on photographic copies of applications already submitted to Congress, the amendment subject list shows that at least four different amendment subjects have achieved the necessary two thirds mark to cause a convention. However FOAVC maintains amendment subject is the incorrect method to count applications as the text of Article V does not describe same subject. Instead it favors a simple numeric count of applying states as described by Article V, Supreme Court rulings, statements of Congress and historic records.[2] This list shows that ten conventions are currently mandated to be called[3][4]
On May 24, 2016 Congressman Luke Messer (R-Indiana) submitted H.R. 5306 to Congress. The purpose of the legislation is to create the first official list of Article V Convention applications in United States history and has received bi-partisan support in Congress. The bill requires the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to conduct a search of all congressional records in NARA and produce copies of all applications submitted by the states since 1789.[5]
Legislation offered in Congress to actually call an Article V Convention
In January 1975, during the 94th Congress, U.S. Congressman Jerry Pettis, a Republican from California, introduced House Concurrent Resolution No. 28, calling a convention to propose amendments to the Constitution. In H.Con.Res. 28, Pettis proposed that each state would be entitled to send as many delegates to the convention as it had Senators and Representatives in Congress and that such delegates would be selected in the manner designated by the legislature of each state. With Pettis' death, his colleague, Representative Norman F. Lent, a Republican from New York, introduced similar legislation, House Concurrent Resolution No. 340, in August 1977, for the consideration of the 95th Congress. Both the Pettis and Lent concurrent resolutions received no further consideration than to be referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Van Sickle-Boughey Classification
In "A Lawful and Peaceful Revolution",[6] Van Sickle and Boughey define five classifications of applications.
- Class I: A call for a general convention, with no motivating issue listed.
- Class II: A call for a general convention, with a separate statement of proposed amendment or explicit statement that the convention may consider other amendments proposed by states.
- Class III: A call for a general convention tied to a proposed amendment.
- Class IV: A call for a convention, with language aimed to limit the convention to the issue presented.
- Class V: A call for a convention, with language to rescind the application from consideration for a convention if any other topic is to be covered.
The following is added to this list, where the original text was not recorded in the congressional record.
- Class ??: A note of an application without the actual text.
Van Sickle and Boughey indicate which applications have been rescinded by their state by encasing these in parentheses, and make no note of which applications have led to amendments proposed by congress.
It is unclear from the language of Article V—and subject to debate—as to whether an application, once made by a state legislature, may be subsequently revoked by that state's legislature. It is also unclear whether congress proposing an amendment negates all applications directed toward that topic.
In the table below, the classification of rescinded applications are stricken, with the year of rescission given in parentheses and a link to the record of the rescission. Those applications which lead to amendments proposed by congress are listed in parentheses.
List of State Applications for an Article V Convention
Applications are sorted by date passed by the state, or by date of record in the congressional record. Application classes are encased in parentheses if congress presented an amendment on the topic given and stricken if the state has rescinded its application. All descriptions with six or more states have identical amendment text, unless specified.
Only the legislature of Hawaii has never approved an Article V convention application.
State | Issue/Subject | Date of State's Approval | Reference to Proposal's Text | Class |
---|---|---|---|---|
Virginia | Bill of Rights | November 14, 1788 | AC V.1 258-259 | (II) |
New York | Bill of Rights | February 5, 1789 | AC V.1 282Text | (II) |
Georgia | Clarify Amendment X | December 12, 1832 | J HR V22.2 270-271 | |
South Carolina | Clarify Amendment X | December 19, 1832 | J HR V22.2 219-220 | |
Alabama | Limitation on Tariffs | January 12, 1833 | J HR V22.2 361-362 | II |
Indiana | General | March 13, 1861? | CG V.37.S 1465-6 | I |
Ohio | General | March 20, 1861 | 1861 Ohio Laws 181 | I |
New Jersey | Final Resolution for Slavery | February 1, 1861 | CG V. 36.2 p. 681 | (II) |
Kentucky | Final Resolution for Slavery | February 5, 1861 | CG V.36.2 p. 773 | (II) |
Illinois | Final Resolution for Slavery | February 28, 1861 | CG V.36.2 p. 1270 | (??) |
Nebraska | Direct Election of Senators, Other | April 14, 1893 | 1893 Neb. Laws 466-7 | III |
Texas | General Convention | June 5, 1899 | CR V.33 p.219 | I |
Minnesota | Direct Election of Senators, Other | February 13, 1901 | CR V.34 p.2561 | (III) |
Pennsylvania | Direct Election of Senators, II | February 13, 1901 | CR V.45 p.7118 | (III) |
Idaho | Direct Election of President, Vice-President and Senators | February 14, 1901 | CR V.45 p.7114 | |
Montana | Direct Election of Senators, II Direct Election of Senators, II |
February 21, 1901 January 31, 1905 |
CR V.35 p.208 CR V.39 p.2447 |
|
Oregon | Direct Election of Senators, Other Direct Election of Senators, I Direct Election of Senators, Other |
February 23, 1901 March 10, 1903 January 26, 1909 |
CR V.35 p.117 CR V.45 p.7118 CR V.43 p.2025 |
|
Tennessee | Direct Election of Senators, II Direct Election of Senators, Other |
March 27, 1901 March 14, 1905 |
CR V.35 p.2344 CR V.45 p.7119 |
|
Colorado | Direct Election of Senators, I | April 1, 1901 | CR V.45 p.7113 | (II) |
Michigan | Direct Election of Senators, Other | April 9, 1901 | CR V.35 p.117 | (III) |
Texas | Direct Election of Senators, I | April 17, 1901 | CR V.45 p.7119 | (II) |
Arkansas | Direct Election of Senators, Other | April 25, 1901 | CR V.45 p.7113 | (III) |
Kentucky | Direct Election of Senators, II | February 10, 1902 | CR V.45 p.7115 | (III) |
Illinois | Direct Election of Senators, I Direct Election of Senators, Other |
February 10, 1903 May 23, 1907 |
CR V.45 p.7114 CR V.42 p.164 |
(III) | (II)
Nevada | Direct Election of Senators, II | February 25, 1903 | CR V.37 p.24 | (III) |
Utah | Direct Election of Senators, I | March 12, 1903 | CR V.45 p.7119 | |
Washington | Direct Election of Senators, Other | March 12, 1903 | CR V.45 p.7119 | (II) |
Nebraska | Direct Election of Senators, I | March 25, 1903 | CR V.45 p.7116-7 | (III) |
Iowa | Direct Election of Senators, I | March 24, 1904 | CR V.38 p.4959 | (III) |
Missouri | Direct Election of Senators, II | March 18, 1905 | CR V.40 p.1905 | (III) |
South Dakota | Direct Election of Senators, Other Direct Election of Senators, I |
February 2, 1907 February 9, 1909 |
CR V.41 p.1907 CR V.43 p.2667-2668 |
(III) | (III)
Delaware | Anti-Polygamy | February 11, 1907 | CR V.41 p.3011 | |
Missouri | General Convention | March 6, 1907 | CR V.45 p.7116 | I |
Indiana | Direct Election of Senators, Other | March 11, 1907 | CR V.45 p.7114 | (II) |
Iowa | Direct Election of Senators, Other | March 12, 1907 | CR V.45 p.7114-5 | (II) |
Nevada | Direct Election of Senators, I | March 23, 1907 | CR V.42 p.163 | (II) |
New Jersey | Direct Election of Senators, I | May 28, 1907 | CR V.42 p.164 | (III) |
Louisiana | Direct Election of Senators, Other | November 25, 1907 | CR V.42 p.5906 | |
Oklahoma | Direct Election of Senators, Other | January 20, 1908 | CR V.45 p.7117-8 | |
South Dakota | Anti-Polygamy | February 6, 1909 | CR V.43 p.2670 | III |
Kansas | Direct Election of Senators, I | March 6, 1909 | CR V.45 p.7115 | (II) |
Wisconsin | Direct Election of Senators, I | May 31, 1910? | CR V.45 p.7119-20 | (III) |
Washington | Anti-Polygamy | September 1, 1910 | CR V.46 p.651 | III |
Montana | Direct Election of Senators, Other | January 20, 1911? | CR V.46 p.2411 | |
Maine | Direct Election of Senators, Other | February 22, 1911 | CR V.46 p.4280 | (III) |
Tennessee | Anti-Polygamy | February 17, 1911 | CR V.47 p.187 | |
Montana | Anti-Polygamy | March 1, 1911 | CR V.47 p.98-9 | |
Nebraska | Anti-Polygamy | March 14, 1911 | CR V.47 p.99 | III |
Ohio | Anti-Polygamy | March 15, 1911 | CR V.47 p.660-1 | III |
Illinois | Anti-Monopoly | May 11, 1911 | CR V.47 p.1298 | III |
Wisconsin | General Convention | June 12, 1911? | CR V.47 p.1873 | I |
California | Direct Election of Senators, I | June 13, 1911? | CR V.47 p.2000 | (??) |
Vermont | Anti-Polygamy | December 18, 1912 | CR V.49 p.1433 | III |
Illinois | Anti-Polygamy | March 12, 1913 | CR V.50 p.121 | III |
Oregon | Anti-Polygamy | January 20, 1913 | CR V.49 p.2463 | |
Wisconsin | Anti-Polygamy | March 26, 1913 | CR V.50 p.42-3 | III |
Missouri | Supreme Court Jurisdiction | April 15, 1913 | CR V.50 p.2428 | III |
Michigan | Anti-Polygamy | July 2, 1913 | CR V.50 p.2290 | III |
South Carolina | Anti-Polygamy | February 15, 1915 | CR V.53 p.242 | |
Louisiana | Mode of Amendment, Other | January 12, 1920? | CR V.60 p.31 | |
Nevada | Anti-Prohibition | December 7, 1925? | CR V.67 p.458 | (??) |
Wisconsin | Direct Election of President and VP | December 7, 1925? | CR V.67 p.458 | ?? |
Wisconsin | Article V Conditions Met | September 23, 1929? | CR V.71 p.3856 | |
Wisconsin | Anti-Prohibition | December 23, 1931? | CR V.75 p.57 | (III) |
New Jersey | Anti-Prohibition | February 1, 1931? | CR V.75 p.3299 | (III) |
Massachusetts | Anti-Prohibition | March 13, 1931? | CR V.75 p.45 | (III) |
New York | Anti-Prohibition | December 8, 1931? | CR V.75 p.48 | (IV) |
California | Tax on Government Securities | January 7, 1935 | CR V.79 p.10814 | III |
California | Federal Labor Laws | January 7, 1935 | CR V.79 p.10814 | III |
Oregon | General Welfare Act of 1937 | January 7, 1939? | CR V.84 p.985 | |
Wyoming | Income Tax, Limit II | March 8, 1939? | CR V.84 p.2509-10 | |
Maryland | Income Tax, Limit II | March 27, 1939? | CR V.84 p.3320 | III |
Rhode Island | Income Tax, Limit I | March 26, 1940? | CR V.86 p.3407 | III |
Iowa | Income Tax, Limit II | April 18, 1941? | CR V.87 p.3172 | III |
Maine | Income Tax, Limit I | April 17, 1941 | CR V.87 p.3370-1 | |
Massachusetts | Income Tax, Limit I | April 29, 1941 | CR V.87 p.3812-3 | |
Michigan | Income Tax, Limit I | May 16, 1941? | CR V.87 p.4537 | III |
Iowa | Presidential Term Limits | March 26, 1943? | CR V.89 p.2516 | (III) |
Illinois | Presidential Term Limits | March 26, 1943? | CR V.89 p.2516-7 | (III) |
Michigan | Presidential Term Limits | March 26, 1943? | CR V.89 p.2944 | (III) |
New Hampshire | Income Tax, II | April 29, 1943? | CR V.89 p.3761-2 | |
Delaware | Income Tax, Limit I | May 3, 1943? | CR V.89 p.4017 | |
Illinois | Income Tax, Limit II | May 26, 1943 | CR V.98 p.742-3 | |
Pennsylvania | Limited Funding Mandates, Various | May 27, 1943 | CR V.89 p.8220 | III |
Pennsylvania | Income Tax, Limit II | May 27, 1943? | CR V.89 p.8220 | III |
Alabama | Income Tax, Limit I | June 8, 1943 | CR V.89 p.7523-4 | III |
Wisconsin | Income Tax, Limit I | September 14, 1943? | CR V.89 p.7524 | III |
Wisconsin | Presidential Term Limits | September 14, 1943? | CR V.89 p.7525 | (III) |
Kentucky | Income Tax, Limit I | March 20, 1944 | CR V.90 p.4040-1 | |
New Jersey | Income Tax, Limit I | February 25, 1944 | CR V.97 p.10973 | |
Arkansas | Income Tax, Limit II | March 28, 1945 | CR V.98 p.742 | III |
California | World Federation | April 19, 1949? | CR V.95 p.4568-9 | IV |
New Jersey | World Federation | April 20, 1949? | CR V.95 p.4571 | IV |
North Carolina | World Federation | April 20, 1949 | CR V.95 p.6587-8 | IV |
Michigan | Revenue Sharing, II | May 5, 1949? | CR V.89 p.5628-9 | IV |
Florida | World Federation | May 16, 1949 | CR V.95 p.7000 | |
Nebraska | Revenue Sharing, II | May 25, 1949 | CR V.95 p.7893-4 | |
Connecticut | World Federation | June 1, 1949 | CR V.95 p.7689 | IV |
Kansas | Income Tax, Limit I | March 8, 1951 | CR V.97 p.2936 | III |
Iowa | Revenue Sharing, II | May 9, 1951? | CR V.97 p.3939-40 | IV |
Florida | Income Tax, Limit I | May 10, 1951? | CR V.97 p.5155-6 | |
New Hampshire | Revenue Sharing, II | August 28, 1951 | CR V.97 p.10716 | |
Maine | Revenue Sharing, II | June 4, 1951? | CR V.97 p.6033-4 | IV |
Utah | Income Tax, Limit I | February 11, 1952? | CR V.98 p.947 | |
New Mexico | Revenue Sharing, II | February 11, 1952? | CR V.98 p.947-8 | IV |
Georgia | Limited Treaty Powers, Various | January 29, 1952 | CR V.98 p.1057 | |
Georgia | Income Tax, Limit I | February 6, 1952 | CR V.98 p.1057 | |
Indiana | Income Tax, Limit II Income Tax, Limit II |
February 18, 1952? May 12, 1957 |
CR V.98 p.1056-7 CR V.103 p.6474 |
III III |
Virginia | Income Tax, Limit I | February 21, 1952 | CR V.98 p.1496 | III |
California | Motor Vehicle Tax Distribution | February 22, 1952? | CR V.98 p.4003-4 | III |
Louisiana | Income Tax, Limit I | January 13, 1953? | CR V.99 p.320 | |
South Dakota | Mode of Amendment, Other Mode of Amendment, by 12 States Mode of Amendment, Identical Text |
March 5, 1953 February 15, 1955 March 2, 1963 |
CR V.99 p.9180-1 CR V.101 p.2861-2 CR V.109 p.14638-9 |
|
Illinois | Mode of Amendment, Other Mode of Amendment, Identical Text |
June 25, 1953 March 5, 1963? |
CR V.97 p.9864 CR V.109 p.3788 |
III | IV
Georgia | School Management, States' Right School Management, States' Right School Management, States' Right |
January 31, 1955 February 5, 1959 March 4, 1965 |
CR V.101 p.1532 CR V.105 p.1834 CR V.111 p.5817 |
|
Texas | Mode of Amendment, by 12 States Mode of Amendment, Identical Text |
March 14, 1955? April 4, 1963 |
CR V.101 p.2770-1 CR V.109 p.11852 |
III | IV
Oklahoma | Income Tax, Limit Other | May 23, 1955 | CR V.101 p.8397-8 | |
Michigan | Mode of Amendment, by 12 States | April 4, 1956 | CR V.102 p.7241 | IV |
Idaho | Mode of Amendment, by 12 States | April 1, 1956? | CR V.103 p.4831 | |
Indiana | Mode of Amendment, by 12 States | March 12, 1957 | CR V.103 p.6471-2 | IV |
Indiana | Limited Treaty Powers, Various | May 12, 1957 | CR V.103 p.6472-3 | III |
Indiana | Proportional Electoral College, Other | May 12, 1957 | CR V.103 p.6473 | III |
Indiana | Balanced Budget, Other Balanced Budget, Other |
May 12, 1957 January 26, 1976? |
CR V.103 p.6475 CR V.122 p.931 |
III III |
Florida | Supreme Court Review, Other | June 5, 1957 | CR V.103 p.12787 | |
Alabama | Judicial Term Limits | June 25, 1957 | CR V.103 p.10863 | III |
Connecticut | Prohibit Interstate Income Tax | May 6, 1958? | CR V.104 p.8085-6 | III |
Alabama | Limited Federal Preemption | January 1, 1959? | CR V.105 p.3083 | III |
Wyoming | Limit Federal Powers | February 20, 1959? | CR V.105 p.3085 | |
Arkansas | Validity of 14th Amendment | March 18, 1959? | CR V.105 p.4398 | III |
Nevada | Limit Federal Powers | March 11, 1960 | CR V.105 p.10749 | III |
Louisiana | Limit Federal Powers | June 11, 1960? | CR V.105 p.14401 | |
Arkansas | Supreme Court Review, Other | February 2, 1961 | CR V.107 p.2154 | III |
Wyoming | Balanced Budget, Other Balanced Budget, Emergency |
February 21, 1961 February 8, 1979? |
CR V.107 p.2759 CR V.125 p.2116 |
|
Georgia | Supreme Court Review, Other | March 9, 1961? | CR V.107 p.4715 | |
South Carolina | Limit Federal Powers | March 11, 1962? | CR V.108 p.5051 | |
Oklahoma | Mode of Amendment, Identical Text | January 21, 1963 | CR V.109 p.1172 | |
Oklahoma | Apportionment of Legislature, I | January 21, 1963 | CR V.109 p.1172-3 | |
Kansas | Mode of Amendment, Identical Text | January 31, 1963 | CR V.109 p.2769 | |
Kansas | Apportionment of Legislature, I | January 31, 1963 | CR V.109 p.2769 | |
Florida | Supreme Court Review, Court of the Union | February 5, 1963 | CR V.109 p.2071-2 | |
Florida | Mode of Amendment, Identical Text | February 5, 1963 | CR V.109 p.2072 | |
Idaho | Apportionment of Legislature, I Apportionment of Legislature, II |
February 14, 1963? January 26, 1965? |
CR V.109 p.2281 CR V.111 p.1229 |
|
Arkansas | Mode of Amendment, Identical Text | February 21, 1963? | CR V.109 p.2768 | III |
Arkansas | Supreme Court Review, Court of the Union | February 21, 1963? | CR V.109 p.2768-9 | III |
Arkansas | Apportionment of Legislature, I Apportionment of Legislature, II |
February 21, 1963? April 5, 1965? |
CR V.109 p.2769 CR V.111 p.6917-8 |
III III |
Arkansas | Proportional Electoral College, Other | February 21, 1963? | CR V.109 p.2769 | III |
South Dakota | Proportional Electoral College, Other | March 11, 1963? | CR V.109 p.3982 | ?? |
Montana | Apportionment of Legislature, I Apportionment of Legislature, II |
March 11, 1963? February 15, 1965? |
CR V.109 p.3854 CR V.111 p.2777 |
|
Idaho | Balanced Budget, Other | March 11, 1963? | CR V.109 p.3855 | |
Montana | Proportional Electoral College, I | March 25, 1963? | CR V.109 p.4469 | |
Wyoming | Supreme Court Review, Court of the Union | February 14, 1963 | CR V.109 p.4778-9 | |
Wyoming | Apportionment of Legislature, I | February 9, 1963 | CR V.109 p.4779 | |
Wyoming | Mode of Amendment, Identical Text | February 15, 1963 | CR V.109 p.4779 | |
Alabama | Supreme Court Review, Court of the Union | March 13, 1963 | CR V.109 p.5250 | III |
Washington | Apportionment of Legislature, I | March 30, 1963 | CR V.109 p.5867 | III |
Missouri | Apportionment of Legislature, I Apportionment of Legislature, II |
April 8, 1963? February 18, 1965? |
CR V.109 p.5868 CR V.111 p.3304 |
III III |
Missouri | Mode of Amendment, Identical Text | April 8, 1963? | CR V.109 p.5868 | III |
Utah | Proportional Electoral College, I | April 8, 1963? | CR V.109 p.5947 | |
Colorado | Proportional Electoral College, I | April 11, 1963? | CR V.109 p.6659 | III |
Colorado | Income Tax, Limit Other | April 25, 1963? | CR V.109 p.7060 | III |
Nevada | Apportionment of Legislature, I | February 12, 1963 February 17, 1965? |
CR V.109 p.9942 | III |
South Carolina | Apportionment of Legislature, I Apportionment of Legislature, II |
June 10, 1963? February 18, 1965? |
CR V.109 p.10441 CR V.111 p.3304 |
|
South Carolina | Mode of Amendment, Identical Text | June 10, 1963? | CR V.109 p.10441 | |
South Carolina | Supreme Court Review, Court of the Union | June 10, 1963? | CR V.109 p.10441-2 | |
Texas | Apportionment of Legislature, I Apportionment of Legislature, II |
April 4, 1963 July 26, 1965 |
CR V.109 p.11852 CR V.111 p.18171 |
III III |
Texas | Proportional Electoral College, I | May 22, 1963 | CR V.109 p.11852-3 | III |
South Dakota | Apportionment of Legislature, I Apportionment of Legislature, II |
March 2, 1963 March 1, 1965? |
CR V.109 p.14639 CR V.111 p.3722-3 |
|
Wisconsin | Proportional Electoral College, I | March 2, 1963 | CR V.109 p.14808 | III |
Virginia | Apportionment of Legislature, I Apportionment of Legislature, II |
March 15, 1964? December 3, 1964 |
CR V.110 p.5659 CR V.108 p.880-1 |
III III |
Massachusetts | School Management, Other | March 18, 1964 | CR V.110 p.7616 | III |
Massachusetts | Senior Pensions | April 23, 1964 | CR V.110 p.9875 | III |
Virginia | Mode of Amendment, Identical Text | December 3, 1964 | CR V.111 p.880 | III |
Louisiana | School Management, States' Right | January 6, 1965 | CR V.111 p.165 | |
Arizona | Apportionment of Legislature, II | February 15, 1965? | CR V.111 p.3061 | |
Kansas | Apportionment of Legislature, II | January 27, 1965 | CR V.111 p.3061-2 | |
South Carolina | School Management, States' Right | February 18, 1965 | CR V.111 p.3304 | |
Alabama | Apportionment of Legislature, II | February 25, 1965 | CR V.112 p.200-1 | III |
Utah | Apportionment of Legislature, II | March 8, 1965 | CR V.111 p.4320 | |
Maryland | Apportionment of Legislature, II | March 25, 1965 | CR V.111 p.5820 | III |
North Carolina | Apportionment of Legislature, II | May 12, 1964 | CR V.111 p.10673 | |
Minnesota | Apportionment of Legislature, II | May 12, 1965 | CR V.111 p.10673 | III |
Oklahoma | Proportional Electoral College, I | May 12, 1965 | CR V.111 p.11488 | |
Louisiana | Apportionment of Legislature, II | June 1, 1965 | CR V.111 p.12110 | |
New Hampshire | Apportionment of Legislature, II | June 8, 1965 | CR V.111 p.12853 | |
Illinois | Revenue Sharing, Other | June 9, 1965 | CR V.111 p.14144 | III |
Florida | Apportionment of Legislature, II | June 15, 1965 | CR V.111 p.14163 | |
Mississippi | Apportionment of Legislature, II | July 7, 1965? | CR V.111 p.15769 | III |
Mississippi | School Management, States' Right | July 7, 1965? | CR V.111 p.15769-70 | III |
Mississippi | Anti-Subversion | July 7, 1965? | CR V.111 p.15770 | III |
Illinois | Apportionment of Legislature, II Apportionment of Legislature, Other |
June 22, 1965 March 13, 1967 |
CR V.109 p.19379 CR V.113 p.8004 |
III |
Nebraska | Proportional Electoral College, I | August 10, 1965 | CR V.109 p.19775 | III |
Nebraska | Apportionment of Legislature, I | September 22, 1965 | CR V.109 p.24723 | III |
Ohio | Revenue Sharing, Other | July 29, 1965 | CR V.109 p.25237 | III |
Kentucky | Apportionment of Legislature, II | October 6, 1965? | CR V.111 p.26074 | III |
New Mexico | Apportionment of Legislature, II | January 14, 1966? | CR V.112 p.199 | III |
Tennessee | Apportionment of Legislature, II | February 23, 1965 | CR V.112 p.200 | |
Indiana | Apportionment of Legislature, II | March 13, 1967? | CR V.113 p.6384 | III |
Alabama | Revenue Sharing, Other | April 5, 1967 | CR V.113 p.10118-9 | III |
North Dakota | Apportionment of Legislature, Other | April 28, 1967 | CR V.113 p.11175 | |
Georgia | Revenue Sharing, Other | May 4, 1967 | CR V.113 p.11743 | |
Texas | Revenue Sharing, Other | June 28, 1967 | CR V.113 p.17634 | III |
Illinois | Revenue Sharing, Other | June 28, 1967 | CR V.113 p.17634-5 | |
Iowa | Apportionment of Legislature, Other | April 13, 1969? | CR V.115 p.12249 | III |
Florida | Revenue Sharing, Other | September 3, 1969 | CR V.115 p.24116 | |
New Hampshire | Revenue Sharing, I | February 25, 1970 | CR V.115 p.36154 | |
Mississippi | School Management, Other School Management, No Assignment |
March 5, 1970? March 2, 1973? |
CR V.113 p.17634 CR V.119 p.8089 |
III IV |
Louisiana | Anti-Subversion | June 22, 1970? | CR V.116 p.20673 | |
Louisiana | Income Tax, Limit Other | July 7, 1970? | CR V.116 p.22906 | |
Louisiana | Revenue Sharing, Other | July 10, 1970? | CR V.116 p.23765 | |
New Jersey | Revenue Sharing, I | December 16, 1970? | CR V.116 p.41879 | IV |
West Virginia | Revenue Sharing, I | January 26, 1971? | CR V.117 p.541-2 | IV |
Massachusetts | Revenue Sharing, I | March 4, 1971 | CR V.117 p.5020 | IV |
South Dakota | Revenue Sharing, I | March 8, 1971 | CR V.117 p.5303 | IV |
North Dakota | Revenue Sharing, I | April 26, 1971? | CR V.117 p.11841 | |
Louisiana | Revenue Sharing, I | June 15, 1971? | CR V.117 p.19801-2 | |
Ohio | Revenue Sharing, I | June 28, 1971? | CR V.117 p.22280 | IV |
Delaware | Revenue Sharing, I | February 18, 1971? | CR V.117 p.3175 | |
Oregon | Revenue Sharing, I | May 24, 1971? | CR V.117 p.16574 | ?? |
Massachusetts | School Management, Other School Management, Other |
September 8, 1971? March 28, 1973 |
CR V.117 p.30905 CR V.119 p.12408-9 |
IV IV |
Michigan | School Management, No Assignment | October 28, 1971 | CR V.117 p.41598-9 | IV |
Iowa | Revenue Sharing, I | March 2, 1972? | CR V.118 p.6501-2 | IV |
Florida | Senate Control of Presiding Officer | April 4, 1972? | CR V.118 p.11444 | |
Arizona | School Management, Prayer | April 4, 1972? | CR V.118 p.11445 | |
Tennessee | School management, No Assignment | May 8, 1972? | CR V.118 p.16214 | |
New York | School Management, Other | October 2, 1972? | CR V.118 p.33047-8 | IV |
Virginia | Balanced Federal Budget | February 23, 1973 March 10, 1975? March 29, 1976? |
CR V.119 p.8091 CR V.121 p.5793 CR V.122 p.8335-6 |
III IV | IV
Mississippi | Prayer in Public Buildings | March 20, 1973? | CR V.119 p.8689 | IV |
New Jersey | School Management, Other | April 9, 1973? | CR V.119 p.11446 | ?? |
Maryland | School Management, Other | May 7, 1973? | CR V.119 p.14421 | ?? |
New Hampshire | School Management, Other | June 5, 1973? | CR V.119 p.18190 | |
Texas | School Management, No Assignment | April 10, 1973? | CR V.119 p.11515 | IV |
Virginia | School management, No Assignment | April 3, 1973? | CR V.119 p.10675 | ?? |
Oklahoma | School Management, No Assignment | April 25, 1973 | CR V.119 p.14428 | |
Nevada | School Management, No Assignment | May 29, 1973? | CR V.119 p.17022-3 | IV |
Arkansas | Balanced Federal Budget | March 10, 1975? March 8, 1979? |
CR V.121 p.5793 CR V.125 p.4372 |
III IV |
Mississippi | Balanced Federal Budget | April 29, 1975? | CR V.121 p.12175-6 | III |
Missouri | Right to Life, Various | May 5, 1975? | CR V.121 p.12867 | III |
Nevada | Limited Funding Mandates, Various | June 26, 1975? | CR V.121 p.21065 | III |
Louisiana | Balanced Federal Budget | July 28, 1975? February 8, 1979? July 19, 1979? |
CR V.121 p.25312 CR V.125 p.2110-1 CR V.125 p.19470-1 |
|
Kentucky | School Management, No Assignment | September 8, 1975? | CR V.121 p.27821 | III |
Alabama | Balanced Federal Budget | September 10, 1975? | CR V.121 p.28347 | |
Georgia | Balanced Federal Budget | February 6, 1976? | CR V.122 p.2740 | |
Delaware | Balanced Federal Budget | February 25, 1976? | CR V.122 p.4329 | |
South Carolina | Balanced Federal Budget | February 25, 1976? February 8, 1979? |
CR V.122 p.4329 CR V.125 p.2114 |
|
Massachusetts | School Management, No Assignment | April 7, 1976? | CR V.122 p.9735 | III |
Oklahoma | Limited Funding Mandates, Various | June 7, 1976? | CR V.122 p.16814 | III |
Louisiana | Right to Life, Various | July 22, 1976? | CR V.122 p.23550 | |
Maryland | Balanced Federal Budget | January 28, 1977? | CR V.123 p.2545-6 | IV |
Texas | Balanced Federal Budget | March 15, 1977? February 8, 1979? |
CR V.125 p.5224 | IV |
Virginia | Line Item Veto, Various | March 28, 1977? | CR V.123 p.9289 | ?? |
New Jersey | Right to Life, Various | April 5, 1977? | CR V.123 p.10481 | IV |
South Dakota | Right to Life, Unborn Right to Life, Sacred Life |
April 18, 1977? April 18, 1980? |
CR V.123 p.11048 | |
Utah | Right to Life, Various | May 2, 1977? | CR V.123 p.13057-8 | |
Arkansas | Right to Life, Various | May 20, 1977? | CR V.123 p.15808-9 | IV |
Rhode Island | Right to Life, Various | May 20, 1977? | CR V.123 p.15809 | IV |
Arizona | Balanced Federal Budget | June 14, 1977? | CR V.123 p.18873-4 | |
Massachusetts | Right to Life, Various | June 23, 1977? | CR V.123 p.20659 | ?? |
Indiana | Right to Life, Various | July 22, 1977? | CR V.123 p.4797 | ?? |
Tennessee | Judicial Term Limits | April 25, 1978? | CR V.124 p.11437 | |
Tennessee | Balanced Federal Budget | April 25, 1978? | CR V.124 p.11438 | |
Pennsylvania | Right to Life, Various | April 25, 1978? | CR V.124 p.11438 | IV |
Nebraska | Right to Life, Various | April 21, 1978 | CR V.124 p.12215 | IV |
Kansas | Balanced Federal Budget | May 19, 1978? | CR V.124 p.14584 | IV |
Delaware | Right to Life, Various | June 9, 1978? | CR V.124 p.17055 | |
Colorado | Balanced Federal Budget | February 8, 1979? | CR V.125 p.2109 | V |
Florida | Balanced Federal Budget | February 8, 1979? June 21, 1988? |
CR V.125 p.2109-10 CR V.134 p.15363 |
|
Nevada | Balanced Federal Budget | February 8, 1979? January 29, 1980? |
CR V.125 p.2112 CR V.126 p.1104-5 |
III |
Nebraska | Balanced Federal Budget | February 8, 1979? | CR V.125 p.2112 | IV |
New Mexico | Balanced Federal Budget | February 8, 1979? | CR V.125 p.2112-3 | IV |
North Dakota | Balanced Federal Budget | February 8, 1979? | CR V.125 p.2113 | |
Oklahoma | Balanced Federal Budget | February 8, 1979? | CR V.125 p.2113 | |
Oregon | Balanced Federal Budget | February 8, 1979? | CR V.125 p.2113 | |
Pennsylvania | Balanced Federal Budget | February 8, 1979? | CR V.125 p.2113-4 | IV |
North Carolina | Balanced Federal Budget | February 22, 1979? | CR V.125 p.2113-4 | ?? |
Mississippi | Right to Life, Various | February 26, 1979? | CR V.125 p.3196 | IV |
South Dakota | Balanced Federal Budget | March 1, 1979? | CR V.125 p.3656 | |
Idaho | Balanced Federal Budget | March 1, 1979? | CR V.125 p.3657 | |
Georgia | Right to Life, Various | March 8, 1979? | CR V.125 p.4372 | |
Utah | Balanced Federal Budget | March 8, 1979? | CR V.125 p.4372-3 | |
Indiana | Balanced Federal Budget | May 1, 1979? | CR V.125 p.9188 | IV |
New Hampshire | Balanced Federal Budget | May 16, 1979? | CR V.125 p.11584 | |
Iowa | Balanced Federal Budget | June 18, 1979? | CR V.125 p.15227 | IV |
Nevada | Right to Life, Various | June 25, 1979? | CR V.125 p.16350 | V |
Idaho | Right to Life, Various | March 21, 1980? | CR V.126 p.6172 | |
Oklahoma | Right to Life, Various | April 24, 1980? | CR V.126 p.8972 | |
Tennessee | Right to Life, Various | May 2, 1980? | CR V.126 p.9765 | |
Alabama | Right to Life, Various | May 8, 1980? | CR V.126 p.10650 | IV |
North Dakota | Right to Life, Various | April 27, 1981? | CR V.127 p.10650 | ?? |
Arizona | Limited Funding Mandates, Various | July 19, 1979? | CR V.126 p.11389 | |
Alaska | Balanced Federal Budget | February 3, 1982? | CR V.128 p.798 | ?? |
Missouri | Balanced Federal Budget | July 21, 1983? | CR V.129 p.20352 | V |
Arizona | Line Item Veto, Various | June 5, 1984? | CR V.130 p.14956 | |
South Dakota | Line Item Veto, Various | March 12, 1986? | CR V.132 p.4473 | |
Utah | Income Tax, Limit Other | March 30, 1987? | CR V.133 p.7299 | |
South Dakota | Term Limits on Members of Congress | April 4, 1989? | CR V.135 p.5396 | |
Idaho | Income Tax, Limit Other | April 10, 1989? | CR V.135 p.5895 | ?? |
Georgia | Flag Desecration | April 16, 1991? | CR Vol. 137, pp. 8085-8086, POM-26 (Resolution No. 105) | |
Colorado | Limited Funded Mandates, Various | June 26, 1992? | CR Vol. 138, p. 16552, POM-428 (SJM 92-3) | V |
South Dakota | Limited Funded Mandates, Various | March 22, 1993? | CR Vol. 139, p. 5905, POM-50 (SJR 3) | |
Missouri | No Judicial Taxing Power | June 29, 1993? | CR Vol. 139, p. 14565, POM-175 (SCR 9) | V |
Delaware | Income Tax, Limit Other | June 28, 1994? | CR Vol. 140, p. 14718, POM-554 (HCR 56) | |
Missouri | Limited Funding Mandates, Various | June 29, 1994? | CR Vol. 140, p. 15072, POM-575 (SCR 21) | V |
Arizona | No Judicial Taxing Power | March 27, 1996? | CR Vol. 142, pp. S3012-S3013, POM-523 (SCR 1014) | |
South Dakota | No Judicial Taxing Power | March 27, 1996? | CR Vol. 142, p. S3013, POM-526 (HCR 1010) | III |
Nevada | Term Limits on Members of Congress | June 29, 1996? | Nevada Constitution | III |
North Dakota | No Judicial Taxing Power | April 6, 2001? | CR Vol. 147, p. S3705, POM-7 (HCR 3031) | III |
Louisiana | Posse Comitatus | April 29, 2008? | CR Vol. 154, p. S3504, POM-329 (HCR 38) | IV |
Florida | Balanced Federal Budget | April 19, 2010 | CR Vol. 160, pp. S5563-S5564, POM-323 (SCR 10) | V |
Nebraska | Balanced Federal Budget (Reaffirmation of 1976 LR 106) | April 13, 2010 | LR 538 | V |
North Dakota | Mode of Amendment, Other | April 14, 2011 | HCR 3048 | V |
North Dakota | Increase in federal debt to require approval by majority of state legislatures | April 11, 2011 | CR Vol. 158, p. S1459, POM-66 (SCR 4007) | IV |
Alabama | Balanced Federal Budget | June 1, 2011 | CR Vol. 160, pp. S3666-S3667, POM-251 (SJR 100) | V |
Louisiana | Increase in federal debt to require approval by majority of state legislatures | June 21, 2011 | CR Vol. 158, p. S2241, POM-69 (HCR 87) | IV |
New Hampshire | Balanced Federal Budget | May 16, 2012 | CR Vol. 162, p. S5153, POM-197 (HCR 40) | V |
Ohio | Balanced Federal Budget | November 20, 2013 | CR Vol. 160, p. S1174, POM-197 (SJR 5) | V |
Georgia | Balanced Federal Budget | February 20, 2014 | CR Vol. 160, pp. S3667-S3668, POM-254 (SR 371) | V |
Georgia | Fiscal restraints on the federal government, limiting the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limiting the terms of office of federal officials, including members of Congress | March 6, 2014 | CR Vol. 160, p. S4332, POM-285 (SR 736) | V |
Michigan | Balanced Federal Budget | March 26, 2014 | SJR "V" | V |
Tennessee | Balanced Federal Budget | April 9, 2014 | HJR 548 | V |
Alaska | Fiscal restraints on the federal government, limiting the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limiting the terms of office of federal officials, including members of Congress | April 19, 2014 | CR Vol. 160, p. S6021, POM-345 (HJR 22, also referred to as "Legislative Resolve No. 68") | V |
Florida | Fiscal restraints on the federal government, limiting the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limiting the terms of office of federal officials, including members of Congress | April 21, 2014 | CR Vol. 160, p. S4332, POM-286 (SM 476) | V |
Florida | Balanced Federal Budget | April 21, 2014 | CR Vol. 160, p. S4333, POM-288 (SM 658) | V |
Florida | Legislation in Congress to contain only one subject and that one subject must be clearly expressed in the measure's title | April 23, 2014 | CR Vol. 160, p. S4333, POM-289 (HM 261) | V |
Vermont | Regulation of election campaign donations and expenditures; end legal concept of "corporate personhood"; overturn 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision in case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission | May 2, 2014 | CR Vol. 160, p. S4331, POM-284 ("Joint Senate Resolution" No. 27) | V |
Louisiana | Balanced Federal Budget | May 15, 2014 | CR Vol. 160, p. S5563, POM-322 (HCR 70) | V |
California | Regulation of election campaign donations and expenditures; end legal concept of "corporate personhood"; overturn 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision in case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission | June 23, 2014 | CR Vol. 160, p. S5507, POM-320 (AJR 1) | V |
Illinois | Regulation of election campaign donations and expenditures; end legal concept of "corporate personhood"; overturn 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision in case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission | December 3, 2014 | CR Vol. 162, p. S71, POM-126 (SJR 42) | V |
South Dakota | Balanced Federal Budget | February 17, 2015 | CR Vol. 162, p. S6550, POM-255 (HJR 1001) | V |
New Jersey | Regulation of election campaign donations and expenditures; end legal concept of "corporate personhood"; overturn 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision in case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission | February 23, 2015 | SCR 132 | V |
Utah | Balanced Federal Budget | March 6, 2015 | HJR 7 | V |
North Dakota | Balanced Federal Budget | March 24, 2015 | CR Vol. 161, pp. S2399-S2400, POM-17 (HCR 3015) | V |
Alabama | Fiscal restraints on the federal government, limiting the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limiting the terms of office of federal officials, including members of Congress | May 21, 2015 | CR Vol. 161 pp. S8601-S8602, POM-124 (HJR 112) | V |
Tennessee | Fiscal restraints on the federal government, limiting the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limiting the terms of office of federal officials, including members of Congress | February 4, 2016 | SJR 67 | V |
Florida | Term limits on Members of Congress | February 10, 2016 | HM 417 | V |
Indiana | Fiscal restraints on the federal government, limiting the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limiting the terms of office of federal officials, including members of Congress | February 29, 2016 | CR Vol. 162, p. S6663, POM-256 (SJR 14) | V |
West Virginia | Balanced Federal Budget | March 12, 2016 | CR Vol. 162, p. S5277, POM-201 and POM-202 (HCR 36) | V |
Alaska | Countermand Amendment | April 16, 2016 | HJR 14 | V |
Oklahoma | Combination of: (1) Balanced Federal Budget; and (2) Fiscal restraints on the federal government, limiting the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limiting the terms of office of federal officials, including members of Congress | April 18, 2016 | CR Vol. 162, pp. S6354-6355, POM-213 (SJR 4) | V |
Louisiana | Fiscal restraints on the federal government, limiting the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limiting the terms of office of federal officials, including members of Congress | May 25, 2016 | SCR 52 | V |
Rhode Island | Regulation of election campaign donations and expenditures; end legal concept of "corporate personhood"; overturn 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision in case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (Rhode Island lawmakers chose to approve two separate unicameral resolutions, rather than to adopt a single bicameral resolution. The validity of this approach is subject to question). | June 16, 2016 (R.I. House version) and June 17, 2016 (R.I. Senate version) | CR Vol. 162, p. S5276, POM-198 (R 326—H 7670) and POM-199 (R 327—S 2589) | V |
Counts By States
Maintaining custody of the state legislatures' applications
If one considers that applying for a convention is a constitutional power of the several states, should the states have the burden of managing the counting of applications? This viewpoint reduces the role of Congress to collecting applications and verifying claims by states that the applications included by the states allow the convention being applied for. If that claim is correct, Congress must call a convention as specified by that claim. Another point of view holds that Congress must maintain custody, and keep an up-to-date tally, of the state legislatures' applications. In 2014, Idaho lawmakers approved House Joint Memorial No. 104 (designated as "POM-231" and published in the Senate's portion of the Congressional Record of May 15, 2014) admonishing Congress to do a better job of keeping track of such applications. On January 6, 2015, the U.S. House of Representatives amended its parliamentary rules (House Resolution No. 5 by Representative Kevin McCarthy) so as to instruct the House's Committee on the Judiciary to undertake a compilation of past Article V Convention applications; as a result, the website of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives has already begun to make the full texts of some of the prior applications available to Internet users.
2013 Ohio Application; 2014 Georgia, Michigan, Tennessee, Florida and Louisiana Applications; and 2015 North Dakota Application
The balanced budget application of Ohio in 2013 as well as those of Georgia, Michigan, Tennessee and Louisiana in 2014, and that of North Dakota in 2015, include a list of previous state applications that the new application should be counted with.
Some resolutions include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas. Georgia and Ohio also include Delaware, and Ohio adds New Hampshire. Louisiana's mentions Ohio, Georgia and Tennessee, but completely neglects Michigan. None of the applications include itself in the list. Florida in 2014 re-affirmed its 2010 re-application (after its 1988 rescission of that state's 1976 House Memorial No. 2801 and Senate Memorial No. 234). The 2015 North Dakota application does not list other states which have previously applied.
The Michigan 2014 application thus represents 18 states, the 2014 Georgia application thus represents 19 states and the 2013 Ohio application and 2014 Tennessee application represent 20 states. Louisiana's 2014 application contains 22 (excluding itself). All would be short of the 34 states required to mandate an article V convention.
Accuracy of the counts
Applications for all of the states listed on the subject of a Balanced Budget Amendment can be found in the table above, including a 2012 application by New Hampshire and a 1976 application by Delaware. Thus it seems likely that if another state follows this precedent it could include 23 states, plus itself, for a total of 23 states. There is disagreement among scholars as to whether a state that has approved an application may later rescind that application. If it is ultimately adjudicated that a state may not rescind a prior application, then Ohio's 2013 application for a Balanced Budget Amendment convention would be the 33rd (out of the necessary 34) and Michigan's 2014 application would be the 34th on that topic—rather than merely the 20th and 22nd, respectively. The Balanced Budget Amendment applications by Ohio and Michigan plowed completely new ground for those two states. Whereas, the renewed applications from Alabama, Florida (both 2010 and 2014), Georgia, New Hampshire, and Tennessee, simply re-visited old and already-familiar territory. Those five states applied during the 1970s and then rescinded in the period from 1988 to 2010. Then, they changed their minds yet again and re-applied from 2010 to 2014 for a Balanced Budget Amendment convention. Again, if states may not rescind, then with Michigan's actions of March 26, 2014, the threshold of 34 that Article V requires for triggering a convention on the subject of a Balanced Budget Amendment has now been met.
Wisconsin 1929
In 1929 Wisconsin applied to Congress to perform their constitutional duty to call a convention, listing Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin as states having made an application for a convention. There were 48 states in 1929, so 32 applications would be required to call a convention. 35 states were named.
Accuracy of Record
Links to the text of applications by all states except California and North Carolina are provided in the table above. A reference to an application by California has been found in the congressional record and the text of an application by South Carolina is given in the table above.
It should be noted that the table here is not guaranteed to be a complete record, and that records for additional applications known in 1929 may have been lost.
Verifiable Applications
Three states, Missouri, Texas and Wisconsin, had applied for a general convention. Eleven states listed had applied for a convention to prohibit polygamy (Delaware, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont and Washington), plus South Carolina. Idaho had included the direct election of the President and Vice President with their request for direct election of Senators. Thus 16 states clearly had outstanding applications.
Strong Applications
Alabama and Georgia had outstanding issues from 1832 and 1833, making a less certain 18. Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Nevada and Oklahoma would be added if we include class II requests for Direct Elections of Senators, for a total of 25.
Weak Applications
The only known records for an application New York and Virginia are their ratification documents, before the Bill of Rights. New Jersey and Kentucky applied for a convention to prevent the Civil War, and class III applications for the Direct Election of Senators. Arkansas, Maine, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Utah only had documented class III applications for the Direct Election of Senators. These nine states have questionable merit for inclusion.
California is most likely in this group.
Unknown Applications
The status of North Carolina can not be known without the text of the applications, if this is not a misrepresentation of South Carolina.
Petitions to Congress
The Senate referred the memorial to the Committee on the Judiciary.
The Clerk of House, Karen Haas sent the request to the Speaker of the House, John Boehner’s office. On October 24, 2013, the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, presented it to the Judiciary Committee for review. The action was entered in the Congressional Record:
PETITIONS, ETC. Under clause 3 of rule XII, 55. The SPEAKER presented a petition of Dan Marks, Hilo, HI, relative to a letter regarding methods for proposing amendments; which was referred to the committee on the Judiciary.
Elizabeth MacDonough the Senate Parliamentarian in July 2013, entered the request in the Congressional Record on August 1, 2013 and sent the request on to the Judiciary Committee. That entry reads:
[Page: S6204] POM-120. A communication from citizens of the State of Hawaii petitioning for verification and tabulation of State applications for an Article V Convention; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Rogers Style Application Counts
James Kenneth Rogers holds that applications are required to list an issue, and must be tallied accordingly.[7] Thus, this section contains counts of applications on specific issues. One obvious question is how close do the applications need to be.
Three broad categories are presented, with tabulations for narrower categories tabulated and a count of amendments following specific wordings.
Federal Budgeting
The many applications for a balanced budget, limitations on income tax and revenue sharing warrant a counting of these issues and particularly popular wordings of them. Since many of the income tax and revenue sharing applications recommend a repeal of Amendment XVI, this also deserved a separate count.
Balanced Budget
Currently, 28 states (Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia) have outstanding applications for an amendment to establish a balanced budget. Seven more states have rescinded their application (Arizona, Delaware, Idaho, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia and Wyoming). With the 2014 application by Michigan, the total of active plus rescinded applications equaled the 34 required to mandate a convention. Then, in 2016, West Virginia (like Ohio in 2013 and Michigan in 2014) made a first-time application for a Convention on the topic of a Balanced Budget Amendment. Likewise, in 2016, Delaware rescinded its 1976 application for a Convention on that subject.
Two particular wordings of applications have been submitted by over six states.
The wording labeled Balanced Budget, Emergency in the above table have outstanding applications from thirteen states (Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and Virginia). Arizona, Idaho, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming have rescinded their applications with this particular wording.
The wording labeled Balanced Budget, General in the above table has outstanding applications from six states (Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Missouri and New Hampshire.) Florida, Louisiana and Oregon have rescinded applications with this particular wording.
Other wordings, without enough states to warrant a separate categorization, have been made by eleven states (Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.) Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada and North Dakota have rescinded their applications with rare wordings.
Applications by Louisiana and North Dakota in 2011 to require approval by a majority of the state legislatures to authorize any increases in the national debt limit can be viewed as a different type of balanced budget amendment but with a similar goal.
Limited Income Tax
Fifteen states (Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and Wisconsin) have outstanding applications for an amendment to limit income taxes. Thirteen more states have rescinded their applications (Florida, Hawaii, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming). Two particular wordings of applications have been submitted by over six states.
The wording labeled Income Tax, Limited I has outstanding applications from seven states (Alabama, Delaware, Kansas, Michigan, Rhode Island, Virginia and Wisconsin). Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Utah have rescinded applications with this wording.
The wording labeled Income Tax, Limited II has outstanding applications from six states (Arkansas, Iowa, Indiana, Maryland, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania). Illinois and Wyoming have rescinded there applications with this wording.
Other, less popular, wordings are outstanding for three states (Colorado, Delaware and Virginia). Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Utah have rescinded variant wordings on this topic. The applications listed here for Virginia and Hawaii don't actually request that a convention to be called to produce this amendment.
Revenue Sharing
Fourteen states (Alabama, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas and West Virginia) have outstanding applications for an amendment establishing federal-state revenue sharing. Seven more states have rescinded their applications (Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska and North Dakota). Two particular wordings of applications have been submitted by over six states.
The wording labeled Revenue Sharing, I has outstanding applications from eight states (Delaware, Iowa, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota and West Virginia). Louisiana, Massachusetts and North Dakota have rescinded their applications with this wording.
The wording labeled Revenue Sharing, II has outstanding applications from five states (Iowa, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire and New Mexico). Nebraska has rescinded their application with this wording.
Other, less popular, wordings are outstanding for four states (Alabama, Illinois, Ohio and Texas). Florida, Georgia, Illinois and Louisiana have rescinded variant wordings on this topic.
Amendment XVI
Income Tax, Limit I and II and Revenue Sharing II specifically call for the repeal of the Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which gave Congress the power to lay income taxes without regards to states' populations. Fifteen states have expressly called for the repeal of Amendment XVI (Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Wisconsin). Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey and Utah have rescinded their calls to repeal Amendment XVI.
All of these proposals, plus another labeled Taxation on Government Securities, call for a change to the federal income tax. 24 states have applied for an amendment to change the income tax structure (Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Mains, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin). Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming have rescinded their applications to change the income tax structure.
Federal Structure and Operation
Several amendments have been proposed to alter the political structure of the United States government. Two of the most relevant are the Direct Election of Senators and Apportionment of State Legislatures. Alterations to the methods of amending the constitution and requests for a proportional electoral college have also garnered respectable support among state legislatures.
Direct Election of Senators
21 states (Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin) have outstanding applications for an amendment establishing the election of Senators by popular vote. Seven more states have since rescinded their applications (Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming). Two particular wordings received significant support, identified by Roman numerals.
These applications contributed to the proposal by congress of Amendment XVII, with the 28 states above being four states short of enough to have forced a convention in 1911 and pressure building. All of the rescissions have been since 2000, as a part of a movement to prevent the calling of a convention.
The first wording has outstanding applications from eleven states (California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin). Oregon and Utah have rescinded applications with this wording.
The second wording has outstanding applications from five states (Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Tennessee). Montana has rescinded their application with this wording.
Other wordings are outstanding for nine states (Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota and Washington). Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon and Wyoming have rescinded applications with spurious wordings.
Apportionment of Legislature
Twenty states (Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming) have outstanding applications for an amendment establishing the right of a state to determine state legislature districts by a non proportional method. Eleven more states have since rescinded their applications (Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Utah). Two particular wordings have been popular, indicated by Roman numerals.
The first wording has outstanding applications from ten states (Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming). Idaho, Kansas and Montana have rescinded applications with this wording.
The second wording has outstanding applications from sixteen states (Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, ). Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Utah have rescinded their application with this wording.
Other wordings are outstanding for Illinois and Iowa.
Mode of Amendment
Ten states (Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin) have outstanding applications for an amendment to alter the process of amending the constitution of the United States. Seven more states have rescinded their applications (Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming).
The wording labeled Mode of Amendment, Identical Text in the above table has outstanding applications from 6 states (Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia). Florida, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming have rescinded applications with this wording.
Political Campaign Finance Reform
Five states (Vermont, California, New Jersey, Illinois, Rhode Island) have thus far[8] made applications for an amendment to overturn the 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission in order to more tightly regulate political contributions from corporations.
Paulsen Style Application Counts
Michael Paulsen holds that the applications for a convention alone should govern the convention.[9] Thus, this section contains counts of applications based on groupings not excluded by the applications themselves.
Counts including class IV, V or VI applications would become Rogers style due to the limitations clearly expressed in these applications, and are not included below.
Class I and II Applications
Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin have outstanding applications for a convention to propose amendments, with no accompanying issue.
Alabama has a request for a convention limiting tariffs, and South Carolina one for clarification on Amendment X, each implying that other amendments may be considered.
Class I, II and III Applications
24 more states have outstanding class III applications. These are Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
This gives a total of 31 states with known outstanding class I, II or III applications. Three more application would meet the 2/3 requirement to call a convention.
Brennan Style Application Counts
Thomas E. Brennan holds that, in 1982, it was necessary, desirable and feasible to hold a convention.[10] He lists the following counts in the introduction to his claim.
- 450 applications through 1980, plus 25 more since 1980 gives 475 total applications.
- Applications from every state in the union. (Hawaii's expired and did not call for a convention, 8 states have rescinded all applications, leaving 41.)
- 36 states with more than six or more separate applications. (Ten of those have since rescinded all or most of their applications, and five are not identified in the table above, but several states have five applications listed here.)
See Also
References
- ↑ http://www.foavc.org/reference/file59.pdf
- ↑ http://www.foavc.org/reference/1930.pdf
- ↑ http://www.foavc.org/StateApplications/Numeric.htm
- ↑ http://www.foavc.org/StateApplications/Amendment_Subject.htm
- ↑ http://www.foavc.org/reference/file85.pdf
- ↑ Judge Bruce Van Sickle and attorney Lynn Boughey M. (Fall 1990). "A Lawful and Peaceful Revolution: Article V and Congress' Present Duty to Call a Convention for Proposing Amendments". Hamline Law Review, Volume 14, p. 1.
- ↑ Rogers, James The Other Way to Amend the Constitution: The Article V Constitutional Convention Amendment Process. Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy 30: 1005.
- ↑ http://www.wolf-pac.com
- ↑ Paulson, Michael "A General Theory of Article V: The Constitutional Lessons of the Twenty-Seventh Amendment". Yale Law Journal 103: 677.
- ↑ Brennan, Thomas E., "Return to Philadelphia: A Case for Calling of an Amendatory Convention Under Article 5 of the Federal Constitution,'"1 Cooley Law Review 1 (1982).
External links
- FoAVC Index to congressional records
- FoAVC Tables of state applications
- Colorado's procedurally-improper House Resolution No. 12-1003
- Friends of the Article V Convention