The state Senate is advancing SJR 502 to the Senate floor. It calls for a Convention of States to amend the United States Constitution.
Supporters of the resolution say it’s specifically in response to putting fiscal restraints on the federal government amid national debt.
It also outlines term limits for Congress and federal officials.
Republican Senator Jim Mehlhaff introduced the resolution to the Senate State Affairs Committee. He said he doesn’t have faith in the federal government to fix national spending.
“As we’ve all seen the state of the federal government, it’s out of control. We have a nearly $37 trillion debt. Government waste seems to be unimpeded, and I don’t think the Congress, or the federal government has the fortitude to actually do the right thing and put curbs on the federal spending. There are too many special interests, that demand that money. And they just don’t seem to have the fortitude to resist that,” Mehlhaff said.
If the resolution passes both chambers, it would appear on the state ballot in 2026.
Currently, 19 other states have passed similar measures. A Convention of states requires 34 total states to pass resolutions.
There has been a push from the Convention of States Political Action Committee to push for similar amendments in past years, though a Convention of States has never been called in U.S. history.
