Fellow Article V Supporters:
Enclosed is your April 16, 2017 edition of The Article V Convention Legislative Progress Report. By my latest worksheet count, 175 or more pieces of Article V legislation have been filed in 40 states so far in 2017 with one or more states still to weigh in before the 2017 legislative sessions are complete. As mid-April approaches, we are beginning to see the 2017 legislative sessions wind down as 11 states have gone sine die and another five have completed their Article V work for this year. More and more the focus will now turn to Arizona where plans continue to move forward to host a non-Article V national convention of states starting on September 12, 2017.
Progress continues to be made on the Article V front, notwithstanding the full frontal assault from Common Cause and their media friends. The BBA is moving forward in Wisconsin under the leadership of Sen. Chris Kapenga and in South Carolina under Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey. A BBA resolution is close to filing in Minnesota led by Rep. Jerry Hertaus and Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer. The CoSP is moving forward in Texas, Iowa and Missouri. US Term Limits passed this past week in the Missouri Senate and Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee. Congratulations to all groups for your great successes!
A special note goes out to the CoSP team in Illinois: The CoSP resolution minus the third prong (HJR32) is gaining steam in the Illinois House. It passed committee 8-0 and now moves to the floor. It has bi-partisan support with 19 Democrat and 27 GOP sponsors. 60 votes will be needed to pass. Congratulations to CoSP’s Illinois team for your great work reaching across the aisle.
Rescission efforts remain active in Nevada. SJR12 has passed the Senate and been referred to the Assembly Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections. If all of us in the Article V movement would pick up the phone and call, or send an e-mail to, the committee members, we might be able to make a difference. Here is a link to the Committee webpage: http://asm.leg.state.nv.us/Assembly/LOE.aspx. The Vermont Senate has passed a rescission resolution that would repeal the Wolf PAC Fair Elections Resolution. George Soros is funding both sides of that battle. As most of you know, New Mexico and Maryland have already rescinded this year.
In recent weeks, we have had some excellent legal articles come to the forefront. Michael Farris has authored a comprehensive article on the 1787 convention which establishes beyond any doubt that the Framers were acting within their respective state-granted authority when they drafted a new Constitution and referred it to Congress for submission to the states. Here is the cite and a link to the article:
Michael Farris, Defying Conventional Wisdom: The Constitution Was Not The Product Of A Runaway Convention, 40 Harv.J.L.Pub.Pol. 61 (2017), copy available at http://www.harvard-jlpp.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Farris_FINAL.pdf.
Prof. Rob Natelson has likewise been active responding to the ever growing media attacks on Article V. Here are links to some of Rob’s more recent work:
On Justice Scalia’s quotes re Article V and a “constitutional convention”: Natelson, Scalia Probably Favored an Amendment Convention – But What Does It Matter? (The Daily Caller April 12, 2017), copy available at http://dailycaller.com/2017/04/12/scalia-probably-favored-an-amendment-convention-but-does-it-matter/.
On the Arizona Planning Convention: Natelson, Arizona Calls First National Convention of States in 150 Years (The American Spectator April 10, 2017), copy available at https://spectator.org/arizona-calls-first-national-convention-of-states-in-150-years/.
On the 1787 Convention: Natelson, Yes, the Constitution was adopted legally (The Hill April 11, 2017), copy available at http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/uncategorized/328112-yes-the-constitution-was-adopted-legally.
Thanks to Michael and Rob for their steadfast efforts.
Here’s wishing you a Happy Easter/Passover/Spring Holiday! Next AVCLPR will be coming out Derby Week, the first week in May. Until then . . .
Good luck to all. If I can ever be of assistance to any of you, please don’t hesitate to ask.
David F. Guldenschuh
Editor and Publisher
The Article V Convention Legislative Progress Report
reaganproject.com 