Group Pushing For Constitutional Convention To Testify In Arkansas

Michael Farris, the national director of the Convention of States Project, is scheduled to testify before the Arkansas Senate and House Committees on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Oct. 1 about a national effort to amend the Constitution to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government.

Article V of the Constitution creates two paths for an amendment process. One, where two-thirds of both Houses of Congress propose it, is the way all 27 amendments have been passed. The other requires two-thirds of all states, or 34 of them, to call a convention.

Citizens for Self-Governance, the organization pushing the Convention of States initiative, hopes to use this second, never before used path to call a convention to consider various amendments. Amendments would have to be ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures, or 38.

The group’s website, conventionofstates.com, lists a balanced budget amendment and congressional and Supreme Court term limits as potential amendments that could be considered.

State Rep. Randy Alexander, R-Fayetteville, would have been among the most likely legislators to introduce the resolution, but he lost his re-election bid in May. He said someone else will introduce the resolution.

The movement has run into opposition from conservative groups who fear a runaway convention that significantly reshapes the Constitution. Alexander said the chances of that happening are “zero” because only 13 states can kill any proposals – just as 13 states could kill an amendment under the method that has produced the previous 27 amendments.

Farris has a full schedule of appearances scheduled Sept. 30 through Oct. 2, including speeches and press interviews. Mark Allspaugh, state director, is also scheduled to testify before the House and Senate committees.