The Massachusetts legislature has rescinded all previous calls for an Article V constitutional convention, responding to concerns from advocacy groups and lawmakers about potential risks to the U.S. Constitution and individual rights.
Geoff Foster, Executive Director of Common Cause Massachusetts, said: “A convention of states would hand the keys to our democracy over to a few wealthy, unelected special interests. Thanks to House Assistant Majority Leader Peisch and Senate Majority Leader Creem, the legislature has built a vital firewall by rescinding all prior Massachusetts applications. Their timely action makes clear that any attempt to twist the Constitution for partisan gain won’t be done in our name.”
Celia Canavan, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, explained: “The League of Women Voters strongly opposes any call for an Article V constitutional convention unless and until Congress passes legislation to govern how such a convention would proceed. Right now, we don’t know how delegates would be chosen and how many delegates there would be, if voting would be by state or by population, if the convention could be limited to specified topics or could consider anything, and many more crucial guidelines. We therefore celebrate the state legislature passing this joint rescission resolution to prevent Massachusetts from being counted toward a call for a convention.”
Chrissy Lynch, President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, stated: “We can’t afford to gamble with the constitutional bedrock that guarantees fair pay, safe workplaces, and the right to organize.”
Claire Teylouni, Interim Co-Executive Director for Reproductive Equity Now, added: “Massachusetts has long led the nation in protecting reproductive freedom — from codifying abortion rights to passing the strongest shield law in the country. Yet, an outdated and out-of-touch resolution calling for a constitutional convention to ban abortion nationwide threatens to stain this legacy. Rescinding this antiquated resolution—and all those calling for an Article V Convention—ensures our Commonwealth is not tied to an anti-abortion agenda that fails to reflect who we are and protects both our values and our rights from being undermined at the national level.”
Carol Rose, executive director at the ACLU of Massachusetts said: “The U.S. Constitution is our nation’s most precious resource, and we should not toy with it. Without rules and guidelines firmly established by Congress, a convention of states could lead to utter chaos, including the weakening of our civil rights and civil liberties. This is an unacceptable risk, especially when our national politics are so fractious. As a non-partisan organization with over a century of experience defending our most cherished freedoms, the ACLU of Massachusetts strongly supports the rescission of our Commonwealth’s outdated Article V applications and the preservation of our constitutional order.”
This legislative move comes amid concerns that earlier resolutions passed by Massachusetts might be used by Congress or federal administrations as part of efforts that could result in significant changes or threats to existing protections under federal law.
An Article V Convention allows amendments to be proposed if two-thirds (34) of state legislatures request it; however, there are no detailed procedures on delegate selection or limitations on what may be proposed during such a convention. The process has never been used before but has gained attention recently as some conservative groups advocate tallying active state resolutions toward triggering one.
Further information about Common Cause’s national campaign against an Article V convention can be found on their website.
