HLS 16RS-294 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 13
BY REPRESENTATIVE RICHARD
CONGRESS: Applies to the U.S. Congress to call a convention for the purpose of
proposing amendments to the U.S. Constitution to address concerns raised by the
2010 decision of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To apply to the Congress of the United States to call a convention, pursuant to Article V of
3 the Constitution of the United States of America, for the sole and limited purpose of
4 proposing an amendment or amendments to the Constitution of the United States of
5 America to address concerns raised by the decision of the United States Supreme
6 Court in the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
7 WHEREAS, the first president of the United States, George Washington, stated that
8"The basis of our political systems is the right of the people to make and to alter their
9Constitutions of Government"; and
10 WHEREAS, it was the stated intention of the framers of the Constitution of the
11United States of America that the Congress of the United States of America should be
12"dependent on the people alone" (James Madison, Federalist 52); and
13 WHEREAS, that dependency has been affected by those who spend excessively in
14elections, through campaigns or third-party groups; and
15 WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal
16Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010) removed restrictions on amounts of independent
17political spending; and
18 WHEREAS, the removal of those restrictions allows for an increase in the influence
19of powerful economic forces, which will affect the ability of citizens to choose their political
20leadership, write their own laws, and determine the fate of the nation and the states; and
Page 1 of 3 HLS 16RS-294 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 13
1 WHEREAS, Article V of the United States Constitution requires the United States
2Congress, upon application of two-thirds of the legislatures of the several states, to call a
3convention for the purpose of proposing amendments to the United States Constitution; and
4 WHEREAS, the state of Louisiana sees the need for a convention for the purpose of
5proposing amendments to the United States Constitution in order to address concerns raised
6by the decision of the United States Supreme Court in Citizens United v. Federal Election
7Commission and related cases and events, including those occurring long before or
8afterward, and desires that the convention should be limited to such purposes or substantially
9similar purposes; and
10 WHEREAS, the state of Louisiana desires that the delegates to the convention shall
11be comprised equally from individuals currently elected to state and local office or be
12selected by election in each congressional district and that all individuals elected or
13appointed to federal office, now or in the past, be prohibited from serving as delegates to the
14convention, and the state of Louisiana intends to retain the ability to restrict or expand the
15power of its delegates within the limits expressed in this Resolution.
16 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that, pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of
17the United States and effective upon adoption of this Resolution, the Legislature of
18Louisiana does hereby make application to the Congress of the United States to call a
19convention for the specific and exclusive purpose of proposing an amendment or
20amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America, for submission to the states
21for ratification, to address concerns raised by the decision of the United States Supreme
22Court in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and related cases and events.
23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this application and request be deemed null and
24void, rescinded, and of no effect if such convention is not limited to such specific and
25exclusive purpose.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this application by this legislature constitutes
27a continuing application in accordance with Article V of the Constitution of the United
28States until at least a two-thirds of the legislatures of the several states have made application
29for a similar convention pursuant to Article V.
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HCR NO. 13
1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the clerk of the Louisiana House of
2Representatives shall transmit copies of this Concurrent Resolution to the president of the
3United States, to the president and the secretary of the United States Senate, to the speaker
4and clerk of the United States House of Representatives, to each member of this state's
5delegation to the congress, and to the presiding officer of each house of each state legislature
6in the United States requesting the cooperation of the several states in applying to congress
7to call a convention for the purpose of proposing amendments pursuant to Article V of the
8United States Constitution for the purpose provided in this Resolution.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 13 Original 2016 Regular Session Richard
Applies to the U.S. Congress to call a convention, pursuant to Article V of the U.S.
Constitution, for the sole and limited purpose of proposing an amendment or amendments
to the U.S. Constitution to address concerns raised by the decision of the U.S. Supreme
Court in the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which removed
restrictions on amounts of independent political spending.
Expresses intent that convention delegates be comprised equally from individuals currently
elected to state and local office, or be selected by election in each congressional district, and
that individuals elected or appointed to federal office, now or in the past, be prohibited from
serving as delegates. Also expresses intent of the state of La. to retain the ability to restrict
or expand the power of its delegates within the limits expressed in the resolution.
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