Rescinding the 1899 application of the 26th Texas Legislature to the United States Congress to call an unrestricted national convention under Article V of the United States Constitution for proposing undisclosed amendments to that Constitution.
If passed, HJR77 would formally nullify the earlier application and would have implications for how Texas interacts with potential constitutional conventions moving forward. The resolution reflects modern concerns surrounding a convention that could lead to wide-ranging amendments, some of which might not align with the interests or values of Texas legislators. The sponsors of this resolution stress the need for clarity and specificity in the constitutional amendment process, wanting to avoid any scenarios that might permit unrestricted changes to the Constitution.
HJR77 is a joint resolution initiated by the Texas Legislature, which seeks to rescind an application made in 1899 by the 26th Texas Legislature to the United States Congress for an open-ended national convention. This convention was proposed under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, allowing for amendments to be discussed and potentially ratified without specific limitations on their subject matter. Currently, the Texas Legislature has expressed a desire to revoke this historical application, emphasizing that it does not wish for Congress to contemplate a constitutional convention of an indeterminate nature in the future.
While the bill may find support among those wary of a convention's unpredictable outcomes, it could raise questions about historical legislative actions and the interpretations of Article V. There may be differing opinions on whether rescinding such an application is prudent or necessary, given that no convention has been called since the founding of the nation. This tension highlights broader debates about the power dynamics of state versus federal authority in constitutional matters.