Old North News

North Carolinians are looking for their state to join 19 others in passing a resolution that would allow for a Convention of States to consider constitutional amendments.

That could happen soon if the state Senate passes House Joint Resolution 233 (HJR 233) during the legislative session that begins in May.

The drive for an amending convention is rooted in what some see as a power grab by the federal government, as its reach has grown.

"It's time to rein in the out-of-control federal government," Hugh McWilliams, regional captain of Convention of States Action North Carolina (COSA-NC), told Old North News. "The N.C. Senate needs to stand up for its citizens by passing HJR 233 to bring about a Convention of States which will propose amendments regarding federal fiscal restraints, term limits for federal officials, and reducing the size and power of the federal government."

As legislators prepare for the May lawmaking session, supporters for a Convention of States are making their voices heard, McWilliams said.

In May 2021, HJR 233 was successfully passed by the House of Representatives and has been pending before the Senate since that time. 

So far, 19 state legislatures and the N.C. House have agreed with the notion of calling a Convention of States, per Article V of the U.S. Constitution, a recent release on ConventionofStates.com said. That is more than half of the 34 states required to call a convention. Nebraska, South Carolina, West Virginia and Wisconsin most recently approved the resolution, with those four legislatures passing the measure earlier this year. 

Supporters in North Carolina have been calling on their representatives, lobbying senators for months, to pass the resolution. They view constitutional amendments as the best way to help end the overreach of federal government.  

Last August, Old North News published a Bob Luddy editorial that called for the Senate to pass the resolution. Luddy cited broad support for the proposal among North Carolinians and noted the need to "impose real, meaningful restraints on D.C. with a constitutional amendment." 

The resolution calls for convening a Convention of States to consider constitutional amendments that would do several things, the Convention of States said. Key changes involve putting restraints on the "power and jurisdiction" of the federal government, imposing fiscal restraints on the federal government, and instituting term limits for federal officials.

The Convention of States Action (COSA) resolution is proposing an amending convention, not a constitutional convention; the organization said. A constitutional convention works to completely rewrite the framework of government and produce a new constitution, while an amending convention merely offers amendments to the existing constitution. Any proposed amendment would have to be ratified by 38 states before officially becoming part of the Constitution.