CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

HJR12

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 12

57
th legislature
- STATE OF NEW MEXICO -
second session
, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Randall T. Pettigrew

A JOINT RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES UNDER ARTICLE 5 OF
THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION TO CALL A CONVENTION, UPON THE
APPLICATION OF TWO-THIRDS OF THE STATES, FOR THE LIMITED
PURPOSE OF PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO THE UNITED STATES
CONSTITUTION TO IMPOSE FISCAL RESTRAINTS ON THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, LIMIT THE POWER AND JURISDICTION OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT OVER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDS AND LIMIT THE TERMS OF
OFFICE FOR FEDERAL OFFICIALS AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.

WHEREAS, the governor of New Mexico is constitutionally
required to submit a balanced budget, and the New Mexico
legislature is constitutionally required to pass a balanced
budget, thereby preserving the state's financial solvency and
integrity; and

WHEREAS, the federal government continues to accrue
unsustainable increases in the national debt, obligating New
Mexico's citizens and future generations to insurmountable
financial burdens; and

WHEREAS, otherwise necessary federal regulatory
protections become costly, unworkable and oppressive when
congested by an excess of unnecessary and obsolete rules and
mandates, causing hardships to local governments, small
businesses and working families; and

WHEREAS, a professionalized congress, whose members may be
more influenced by the power of organized pressure groups than
the interests of the majority of the citizens, fails in its
service to those citizens and proves unresponsive to fiscal
excess and government overreach; and

WHEREAS, constitutionally applied mechanisms for
establishing sound requirements for accountability of federal
spending, regulation and public service are necessary to the
well-being of the people; and

WHEREAS, twenty-two million seven hundred forty-seven
thousand acres in New Mexico, comprising twenty-nine and
twenty-four hundredths percent of the state's land mass, are
managed by the United States forest service and the United
States bureau of land management, while an additional two
million seven hundred twelve thousand six hundred acres, or
five and forty-eight hundredths percent of the state's land
mass, are under national park service and United States
department of defense control; and

WHEREAS, overreaching federal agency policies and
decisions can have significant, unreasonable and costly impacts
on users of public lands, as well as on private landowners,
local citizens, local governments and local economies; and

WHEREAS, the burdens of federal government overreach on
New Mexico's small businesses and families, regardless of the
extent of their reliance on public lands, are made worse by
unrestrained federal spending and an unwillingness by a
professionalized congress to confront these issues; and

WHEREAS, a constitutional amendment defining the limits of
federal agency power over public and private lands and
respecting the jurisdictional powers and responsibilities of
the states and local governments is necessary; and

WHEREAS, Article 5 of the United States constitution
recognizes the authority of the legislatures of the states to
propose amendments at a convention, which would become
effective upon ratification by at least three-fourths of the
states; and

WHEREAS, Article 5 of the United States constitution
provides authority for a convention to be called by the
congress of the United States for the purpose of proposing
amendments to the constitution upon application of two-thirds
of the legislatures of the several states;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislature hereby
apply to congress, under the provisions of Article 5 of the
United States constitution, for the calling of a convention of
the states limited to proposing amendments to the United States
constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the federal
government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal
government and limit the terms of office for federal officials
and members of congress; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislature
appoint commissioners to the convention and instruct those
commissioners as necessary; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislature
include representatives of users of federal lands and their
resources among its appointments of commissioners; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislature
instruct its commissioners to pursue an amendment proposal
which, if ratified by three-fourths of the states, would
appropriately limit the parameters of federal power over public
and private lands with respect to local jurisdictions and
attest the responsibilities and powers of the states and local
governments; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary of state is
hereby directed to transmit copies of this application to the
president of the United States, the president and secretary of
the United States senate and the speaker and clerk of the
United States house of representatives; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this application constitutes a
continuing application in accordance with Article 5 of the
United States constitution until the legislatures of at least
two-thirds of the several states have made applications on the
same subject.

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