Constitutional Convention (H 7670, S 2589)

In June, the House approved a dangerous resolution calling for a national constitutional convention; the Senate followed shortly thereafter. While proponents of the convention claim it would be limited only to addressing issues raised by the controversial Citizens United decision, legal experts generally agree that once a convention is called there would be no limit to the amendments that could be proposed. For instance, the last time Rhode Island called for a national constitutional convention, it was to propose an amendment to overturn Roe v. Wade. The ACLU testified in opposition to the House and Senate versions of the resolution. In 2014, Rhode Island voters rejected a call for a statewide constitutional convention, particularly out of concern for the impact such a convention could have on the rights of women and minority groups; a nationwide convention carries all these same concerns, but with much higher stakes.