‘Solemn Duty To Protect Citizens’ Freedom and Opportunity’: State Lawmakers Refile Bill Applying for Article V Convention of States to Amend Constitution

RALEIGH – As required until reaching the necessary support of three-fourths of state legislatures, North Carolina lawmakers have again filed resolution calling for a Article V Convention of the States in order to amend the U.S. Constitution to remedy federal usurpation of state legislative authority, to reverse unsustainable federal debt expansion on the backs of taxpayers, and to honor the “solemn duty of the states to protect freedom and opportunity for our citizens, including the generations to come.”

House Joint Resolution 233 has primary sponsorship from the House Majority Leader Rep. John Bell (R-Wayne); Chairman of the House Regulatory Reform Committee; Appropriations Vice Chair Rep. Dennis Riddell (R-Alamance); House Education Majority Whip Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Guilford); and, House Deputy Conference Chair Rep. Jason Saine (R-Lincoln).

Identical resolutions have been called for in years past, but these last 12 months — Pandemic Panic Policies, Woke Revolution, Runaway Government Largess — have accentuated the need for reigning in Big Government in a profound way.

Previously, some cautioned against such a constitutional convention as Pandora’s Box that could end up eroding our Constitutional protections more than restoring them. That risk still remains, especially in the Era of [Insert Woke Victim Class] Rights movements; but, if the present trend continues, it might be the only way to stop the ‘fundamental transformation of the United States of America.’

Need a refresher on how the convention process all works?

This Joint Resolution 233 is the ‘application stage’ referenced in the above video, needing a simple majority to pass the state legislature. Critically, three-fourths of states (34) need to pass such resolutions invoking Article V to actually trigger the convention. So far, 15 states have passed it, with several others passing it in one chamber.

North Carolina previously passed such a resolution in the House, along with New Mexico, Iowa, South Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia, and New Hampshire.

These states, including North Carolina with HR233, are considering the issue in 2021:

Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Keep track of which states have either passed or are consider Article V Resolutions here.