JOINT RESOLUTION RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING A CONVENTION OF THE STATES UNDER ARTICLE V OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION (Petitions congress to call a convention for the purpose of proposing amendments to the U.S. Constitution to impose restraints on the federal government.)

S2724

2026 -- S 2724
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LC004711
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING A CONVENTION OF THE STATES UNDER ARTICLE V
OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION

Introduced By:
Senators Famiglietti, Thompson, and Burke

Date Introduced:
February 27, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
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WHEREAS, The Founders of our Constitution empowered State Legislators to be
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guardians of liberty against future abuses of power by the federal government; and
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WHEREAS, The federal government has created a crushing national debt through
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improper and imprudent spending; and
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WHEREAS, The federal government has invaded the legitimate roles of the states
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through the manipulative process of federal mandates, most of which are unfunded to a great
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extent; and
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WHEREAS, The federal government has ceased to live under a proper interpretation of
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the Constitution of the United States; and
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WHEREAS, It is the solemn duty of the States to protect the liberty of our people—
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particularly for the generations to come—by proposing Amendments to the Constitution of the
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United States through a Convention of the States under Article V for the purpose of restraining
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these and related abuses of power; now, therefore be it
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RESOLVED, That this General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island hereby applies to
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Congress, under the provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the United States, for the
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calling of a convention of the states limited to proposing amendments to the Constitution of the
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United States that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and
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jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office for its officials and for
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members of Congress; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State is hereby directed to transmit copies of this
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application to the President and Secretary of the United States Senate and to the Speaker and
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Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, and copies to the members of the said
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Senate and House of Representatives from this State; and also to transmit copies hereof to the
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presiding officers of each of the legislative houses in the several States, requesting their
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cooperation; and be it further
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RESOLVED, That this application constitutes a continuing application in accordance
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with Article V of the Constitution of the United States until the legislatures of at least two-thirds
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of the several states have made applications on the same subject; and be it further
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RESOLVED, That the following are rules to Establish a Process for the Selection and
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Oversight of Commissioners to an Article V Convention for Proposing Amendments.
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SECTION 1. Applicability. These rules apply to a convention for proposing amendments
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held under Article V of the United States Constitution.
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SECTION 2. Definitions. As used in this rule:
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A. "Advisory committee" means a committee consisting of members selected by each
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chamber using the process defined in this resolution to perform the duties defined in this rule;
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B. "Chamber" means either the Senate or the House of Representatives of the general
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assembly;
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C. "Commissioner" means a person selected by resolution of the general assembly as
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provided herein to represent this state at an Article V convention for proposing amendments;
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D. "Commissioning resolution" means the resolution adopted by the House of
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Representatives and Senate of the general assembly which sets forth the names of the appointed
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commissioners and their commissions and instructions;
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E. "Delegation" means the group of commissioners and interim commissioners chosen by
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the general assembly to attend an Article V convention with the powers and duties defined in this
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resolution;
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F. "Interim commissioner" means a person selected by the advisory committee pursuant
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to Section 8 to fill a vacancy in the delegation.
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SECTION 3. Qualifications of commissioners. At the time of appointment and
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throughout the Article V convention, a commissioner:
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A. Shall be a United States citizen and have been such for at least five (5) years;
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B. Shall be a resident of the state and have been such for at least five (5) years;
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C. Shall be at least twenty-five (25) years old;
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D. Shall be a registered voter in this state;

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E. Shall not be registered or required to be registered as a federal lobbyist at any time
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within the last five (5) years;
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F. Shall not currently be a federal employee (other than a member of the United States
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armed forces) or contractor, nor have been such at any time within the last ten (10) years;
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G. Shall not have held a federal elected or appointed office at any time within the last ten
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(10) years;
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H. Shall not have had any felony convictions for crimes involving moral turpitude in any
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jurisdiction, nor any felony convictions for any crime in any jurisdiction within the last ten (10)
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years; and
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I. Shall not hold a statewide office while performing the duties of commissioner or
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interim commissioner. For purposes of this section, a position as a state legislator is not deemed a
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"statewide office."
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SECTION 4. Commissioner selection and removal.
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A. Nine (9) commissioners shall be named by a resolution passed by a majority of those
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present and voting in a joint session of the general assembly. All commissioners shall be
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appointed by this process.
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B. The general assembly shall maintain an odd number of commissioners in the
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delegation.
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C. A commissioner or interim commissioner may be recalled and/or removed at any time
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and for any reason by a joint resolution of the general assembly or by a majority of those present
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and voting in a joint session thereof; and if the general assembly is not in session, may be recalled
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and suspended from their duties by the advisory committee, pending a vote of the legislature.
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D. A commissioner or interim commissioner shall be recalled and/or suspended by the
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advisory committee pursuant to a determination under Section 13 that they have exceeded the
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scope of their authority.
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SECTION 5. Commissioning resolution.
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A. The resolution naming the commissioners shall include their commission. The
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commission shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following components:
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1. A commissioner shall not vote for or otherwise promote any change to the traditional
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convention rule of decision on the floor and in the committee of the whole, to-wit, that each state
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has one vote.
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2. A commissioner shall not vote for or otherwise promote a convention rule that does not
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require recorded roll call votes or the electronic equivalent.
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3. No proposed amendment shall be germane unless its subject matter is consistent with

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the resolutions of the legislatures of the several states which were the basis of calling the
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convention.
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4. A commissioner shall not vote in favor of any proposed amendment that would alter
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the text of the specific guarantees of individual liberty established by the Constitution, including
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the original Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the following amendments: Thirteenth,
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Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-Third, Twenty-Fourth, and Twenty-Sixth.
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B. The commissioning resolution shall clearly state the scope of the commissioners'
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authority, which shall be limited by:
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1a. If this state was not one of the two-thirds of the states applying for the Convention,
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the subject matter enumerated in the thirty-four (34) state applications that triggered the
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convention; or
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1b. If this state was one of the two-thirds of the states applying for the Convention, the
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subject matter in this state's application; and
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2. Any additional instructions from the general assembly, whether in the commissioning
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resolution or issued thereafter.
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C. The general assembly may provide additional instructions at any time via subsequent
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resolution, a copy of which the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall provide to each
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commissioner and to the advisory committee.
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SECTION 6. Oath.
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A. Each commissioner shall, before exercising any function of the position, execute the
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following oath in writing: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I accept and will act according to
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the limits of authority specified in my commission and any present or subsequent instructions. I
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understand that violating this oath may subject me to penalties provided by law. I understand that
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I may be recalled or suspended from my duties by the general assembly or the advisory
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committee. "
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B. A commissioner's executed oath shall be filed with the Secretary of State.
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SECTION 7. Credentials.
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After a commissioner's executed oath is filed with the Secretary of State, the Clerk of the
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House of Representatives shall provide to the commissioner an official copy of the executed oath
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and the commissioning resolution, which together shall serve as the commissioner's credentials.
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SECTION 8. Vacancies.
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Any vacancies shall be filled by the advisory committee's selection of an interim
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commissioner until such time as a vote by a joint session of the legislature shall select a
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permanent replacement.

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SECTION 9. Compensation and expenses.
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A. A commissioner shall receive the same compensation as a member of the House of
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Representatives of this state, prorated for length of time served.
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B. A commissioner is entitled to receive the same allowance for expenses as provided for
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by current State of Rhode Island Travel Policy.
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SECTION 10. Emolument and gift prohibition.
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Neither a commissioner nor an interim commissioner shall accept, during their time of
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service, any gifts or benefits with a combined value of more than two hundred dollars ($200),
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other than from a member of their family and of the kind customarily granted by a member of
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one's family. The term "gift or benefit" shall be construed liberally to include current and future
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loans, lodging, food, offer of prospective employment, and other actual and prospective benefits.
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An employer's decision to continue paying a commissioner's current salary shall not be construed
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to be a gift.
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SECTION 11. Quorum, conduct, and rule of decision within the delegation.
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A. The commissioners within the delegation (including any interim commissioners filling
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a vacancy) shall choose from among them a person who shall chair the delegation, a person who
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shall cast the state's vote on the convention floor, and a person to speak to the mass media on
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behalf of the delegation. If the delegation so decides, the same person may exercise any two (2)
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or all three (3) functions. The delegation may designate a different commissioner to perform any
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function at any time.
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B. Each commissioner shall take care to avoid communicating the impression to any
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person outside the delegation that the delegation is divided on a question on which the delegation
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has taken a formal position, including, but not limited to, casting a vote.
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C. No commissioner other than the one designated to communicate with the mass media
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on behalf of the delegation shall communicate with the mass media about convention business
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during the convention or during any temporary recess or temporary adjournment.
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D. A commissioner violating Section 11(B) or (C) may be suspended or recalled by the
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advisory committee or by the general assembly.
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E. Sections 11(B) and (C) shall not be construed to prevent a commissioner from
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presenting their opinions to the convention or debating a matter at the convention on which their
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delegation has not formally taken a position.
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F. The quorum for decision by the delegation—including the designation of
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commissioners for particular duties and the determination of how the state's vote shall be cast—
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shall be a majority present and voting at the time the delegation is polled. No decisions shall be

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made and no vote shall be cast if less than a majority of the delegation votes in the poll.
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G. The rule of decision for the delegation, a quorum being present, shall be a majority of
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those present and voting at the time of polling.
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SECTION 12. Article V commissioner advisory committee.
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A. The advisory committee shall consist of the following members:
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1. A state senator appointed by the president of the senate;
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2. A state representative appointed by the speaker of the house;
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3. A member of the legislature nominated by joint action of the president of the senate
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and the speaker of the house of representatives and approved by the majority of those voting in
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each chamber.
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B. The advisory committee shall select one of its members as chair.
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C. A commissioner may request that the advisory committee advise them as to whether a
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prospective action by the commissioner would violate the commissioning resolution or any
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subsequent instructions.
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D. The advisory committee:
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1. Shall communicate to the commissioner requesting such advice a determination within
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twenty-four (24) hours of receiving the request.
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2. May communicate such determination by any appropriate medium.
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3. Shall have authority to hire staff and develop appropriate procedures and mechanisms
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for monitoring the convention, its committees, and subcommittees.
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SECTION 13. Monitoring the exercise of commissioner authority.
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A. Whenever the advisory committee has reason to believe that a commissioner or
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interim commissioner has exceeded the scope of their authority, the committee shall notify the
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speaker of the house, the president of the senate, and the attorney general.
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B. Upon the request for a determination by the speaker of the house, the president of the
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senate, or the attorney general on whether a commissioner or interim commissioner has exceeded
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the scope of their authority, the advisory committee shall issue a determination on whether the
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commissioner or interim commissioner did exceed their authority. The determination shall be
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expeditiously made and immediately communicated to the person requesting it.
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C. Upon determining that a commissioner or interim commissioner has exceeded the
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scope of their authority pursuant to Section 13(A) or (B), the advisory committee shall
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immediately exercise its authority under Section 4 to remove said commissioner, and shall
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communicate said action and the reasons therefor to the speaker of the house, the president of the

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senate, the attorney general, and the presiding officers of the convention.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING A CONVENTION OF THE STATES UNDER ARTICLE V
OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION
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This joint resolution is a continuing resolution that petitions the United States Congress
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to call a convention for the purpose of proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United
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States that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of
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the federal government, and limit the terms of office for its officials and for members of
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Congress. The resolution also provides a procedure for appointing commissioners to represent the
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state at said constitutional convention.
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