Apply to Congress: Constitutional Convention for certain purposes

As Introduced

136th
General Assembly

Regular
Session
S. J. R. No. 3

2025-2026

Senators
Reynolds, Lang

Cosponsor:
Senator Reineke

A
J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

Application
to the Congress of the United States for a Convention of the States
under Article V of the Constitution of the United States that is
limited to proposing amendments that impose fiscal restraints on the
federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal
government, and limit the terms of office for its officials and
Members of Congress.

BE
IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

WHEREAS,
The Founders of the Constitution of the United States empowered State
Legislators to be guardians of liberty against excessive use of power
by the federal government; and

WHEREAS,
The federal government has created a crushing national debt through
improper and imprudent spending; and

WHEREAS,
The federal government has ceased to operate under a proper
interpretation of the Constitution of the United States; and

WHEREAS,
The federal government has invaded the legitimate roles of the States
through the manipulative process of federal mandates, most of which
are unfunded to a great extent; and

WHEREAS,
It is the solemn duty of the States to protect the liberty of our
people, particularly for the generations to come, by proposing
Amendments to the Constitution of the United States through a
Convention of the States under Article V to place clear restraints on
these and related abuses of power; now therefore be it

RESOLVED,
The Ohio General Assembly hereby applies to Congress, under the
provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the United States, for
the calling of a Convention of the States limited to proposing
amendments that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government,
limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit
the terms of office for its officials and Members of Congress of the
United States; and be it further

RESOLVED,
This application constitutes a continuing application in accordance
with Article V of the Constitution of the United States until the
legislatures of at least two-thirds of the several States have made
applications on the same subject; and be it further

RESOLVED,
The Ohio General Assembly adopts this resolution expressly subject to
reservations, understandings, and declarations, including:

An
application to the Congress of the United States to call a Convention
of the States to propose amendments to the Constitution of the United
States pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of the United States
confers no power to the Congress other than the power to call such a
Convention;

The
power of the Congress of the United States to exercise this
ministerial duty consists solely of the authority to name a
reasonable time and place for the initial meeting of a Convention;

The
Congress of the United States shall perform its ministerial duty of
calling a Convention of the States for proposing amendments only upon
the receipt of applications for a Convention of the States for the
substantially same purpose as this application from two-thirds of the
legislatures of the several States;

The
Congress of the United States does not have the power or authority to
determine any rules for the governing of a Convention of the States
for proposing amendments called pursuant to Article V of the
Constitution of the United States;

The
Congress of the United States does not have the power to set the
number of delegates to be sent by any State to such a Convention, nor
does it have the power to name delegates to such a Convention;

The
power to name delegates remains exclusively within the authority of
the legislatures of the several States;

By
definition, a Convention of the States means that the States shall
vote on the basis of one state, one vote;

A
Convention of the States for proposing amendments to the Constitution
of the United States convened pursuant to this application shall be
limited to consideration of the topics specified herein and no other;

This
application is made with the express understanding that an amendment
that in any way seeks to amend, modify, or repeal any provision of
the Bill of Rights shall not be authorized for consideration at any
stage;

This
application shall be void ab initio if ever used at any stage to
consider any change to any provision of the Bill of Rights;

Pursuant
to Article V of the Constitution of the United States, the Congress
of the United States may determine whether proposed amendments shall
be ratified by the legislatures of the several States or by special
state ratification conventions;

The
Ohio General Assembly recommends that the Congress of the United
States select ratification by the legislatures of the several States;

The
Ohio General Assembly may provide further instructions to its
delegates and may recall its delegates at any time for a breach of a
duty or a violation of the instructions provided; and be it further

RESOLVED,
The Clerk of the Ohio Senate is hereby directed to transmit duly
authenticated copies of this application to the President and
Secretary of the United States Senate and to the Speaker and Clerk of
the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of the
said Senate and House of Representatives from this State; also to
transmit duly authenticated copies hereof to the presiding officers
of each of the legislative houses in the several States, requesting
their cooperation.