Const. conv. applications

TO THE HONORABLE DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 1
AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF 2
REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF 3
THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE 4
OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL REGISTRAR: 5
We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of 6
the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, 7
respectfully represent and petition as follows: 8
WHEREAS, The Washington State Legislature has made applications 9
to the United States Congress to call one or more conventions to 10
propose amendments to the United States Constitution, pursuant to 11
Article V thereof; and 12
WHEREAS, The legislature finds that: 13
(1) Since ratification, the United States Constitution has been 14
amended only 27 times; 15
(2) Despite civil war, robust debate, political turmoil, shifting 16
views, and uncountable political, economic, and societal problems and 17
events, our nation has not had another constitutional convention 18
since 1787; 19
(3) Article V of the United States Constitution provides a 20
vehicle for amending the Constitution upon application by two thirds 21
of the several states; 22
S-0447.2
SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8008
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Krishnadasan, Pedersen, Hasegawa, Nobles, and Trudeau
Read first time 01/14/25. Referred to Committee on State Government,
Tribal Affairs & Elections.
p. 1 SJM 8008
(4) Throughout its history, Washington has made several such 1
applications; 2
(5) Scholars differ as to whether such applications ever expire, 3
and whether, regardless of the scope set forth in the applications, 4
any convention would be required to abide by such scope; and5
(6) Wealthy interest groups could exploit decisions made by our 6
ancestors to amend the Constitution and remove or alter our rights; 7
and 8
WHEREAS, The legislature declares that: 9
(1) Although historical records maintained by the State of 10
Washington and the Library of Congress are incomplete and, in some 11
instances, unclear as to the final disposition of legislation passed 12
by the Washington State Legislature to initiate a call to Congress 13
for a constitutional convention, it is reported that the Washington 14
State Legislature has passed several such calls for a constitutional 15
convention, including House Bill No. 90 (chapter 164, Laws of 1901), 16
calling for a plenary convention application with no limitation on 17
subject; House Bill No. 207 (chapter 61, Laws of 1903), calling for a 18
plenary convention that specifically highlights the direct election 19
of United States senators; Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 17 20
(1909), calling for a limited convention to ban polygamy in the 21
United States Constitution; Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 17 22
(1911), calling for a limited convention to ban polygamy in the 23
United States Constitution; and House Joint Memorial No. 1 (1963), 24
calling for a limited convention to prohibit federal restraint of the 25
state initiative power to redistrict and remove federal judicial 26
oversight of redistricting; and 27
(2) It is unclear as a matter of constitutional law whether these 28
calls ever expire, and current generations may now be bound by 29
decisions made in a different time and culture; and30
(3) The need to advance policy reforms through a constitutional 31
convention should be debated anew, if necessary, and not bind future 32
generations without any consideration; 33
NOW, THEREFORE, The Legislature of the State of Washington does 34
hereby officially rescind, repeal, cancel, nullify, and supersede any 35
and all prior applications by the legislature to the Congress of the 36
United States to call a constitutional convention to propose 37
amendments to the Constitution of the United States pursuant to the 38
terms of Article V of the Constitution of the United States, 39
regardless of when and regardless of whether such applications were 40
p. 2 SJM 8008
for a more limited convention to propose one or more amendments 1
regarding one or more specific subjects and purposes or for a general 2
convention to propose an unlimited number of amendments upon an 3
unlimited number of subjects, whether or not the calls are confirmed 4
by historical records maintained by the state or the Library of 5
Congress. 6
BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately 7
transmitted to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of the United 8
States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 9
House of Representatives, each member of Congress from the State of 10
Washington, and the Director of the Office of the Federal Registrar; 11
and 12
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That your Memorialists respectfully pray 13
that this Joint Memorial be published in the Congressional Records 14
and listed in the official tally of state legislative applications 15
relating to calling for the United States Congress to call a 16
convention to propose amendments to the United States Constitution, 17
stating definitively that the state of Washington should not be 18
included in that number until such time as a future legislature duly 19
passes a new application. 20
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p. 3 SJM 8008