PIERRE, SD – The Senate State Affairs Committee is deferring a resolution to apply for a convention of states to the 41st legislative day.
This effectively kills the resolution and it will not be heard on the Senate floor.
Article five of the U.S Constitution grants states the right to apply for a convention of states. The purpose of this convention is to propose amendments to the Constitution, which then would need to be ratified by at least 38 states to go into effect.
In a striking turn of events the committee voted 5 to 4 to defer the resolution. The original motion on the floor was a due pass recommendation, which Republican Senator Lee Schoenbeck of district five counter-motioned against in favor of deferring to the 41st day.
Schoenbeck says the federal government is out of control and needs fixing, but a convention of states isn’t the right way to do it.
