Every year, the COS grassroots army mobilizes in state legislatures across America, utilizing Article V of the Constitution to safeguard liberty. This year has been no different. Our incredible teams hit the ground running on January 1, 2023, and have not slowed down since. Now, as we gear up for the upcoming 2024 legislative season, we are thrilled to pull back the curtain on what we’ve been up to this year with an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the grassroots-led fight to end tyranny.
With the return of Convention of States co-founder Michael Farris to the organization as Senior Advisor of Legislative Affairs this year, our presence in state legislatures throughout the United States took a significant boost. Together with Mark Meckler and Sen. Rick Santorum, Farris embarked on a cross-country tour, leveraging his constitutional expertise to urge lawmakers to convene an Article V convention. The trio maintained a jam-packed schedule, and the outcomes of their efforts were nothing short of remarkable.
In Iowa, our resolution successfully navigated subcommittees and full committees in both the House and Senate, marking substantial progress toward victory. Mark Meckler and Sen. Santorum spearheaded a Legislators’ Breakfast and conducted Town Halls across the state, while Farris lobbied for support in the Iowa Capitol, securing a strong endorsement from presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Additionally, the Iowa activist team orchestrated a massive rally in support of the resolution, amplifying its impact.
“I think we live in one of these 1776 moments where we need to rediscover what it actually means to be American. [Convention of States] is within the Constitution for a reason.” - Vivek Ramaswamy
In Kansas, our COS application secured a majority vote in both the House (74-48) and Senate (22-16), which would typically be enough to officially pass the resolution. However, due to the state’s infamous “Roe Rule” (devised to prevent an Article V convention from challenging Roe v. Wade), requiring a two-thirds supermajority, the resolution was gaveled down. Fortunately, many Kansas leaders, including former Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, have pushed back, arguing in an official opinion that state constitutional provisions cannot legitimately impose additional requirements beyond the U.S. Constitution as per the Supremacy Clause.
Our team is hard at work to overturn the Roe Rule, thereby making Kansas state number 20 to pass the resolution. Despite this hurdle, nothing will stop us from pushing forward and celebrating our victory in the Sunflower State.
“The Founders gave states the authority to rein in abusive power by the federal government, and with the authority, I contend that state legislators have the moral responsibility to do so.” - Michael Farris, from his testimony before the Kansas House Committee
In North Carolina, the impact of our 2022 voter turnout initiatives resonated with legislators, resulting in the passage of the resolution in the House with a vote of 61-55. Now, our focus shifts to the Senate, where Convention of States legislative experts and activists have successfully built a favorable whip count. Given the Senate's brief session next year, we are exerting substantial pressure on leadership to ensure that our bill receives consideration in 2024. With this strategic move, we hold firm our confidence that North Carolina will soon join the expanding roster of states officially endorsing an Article V convention.
To that end, Sen. Santorum traveled to the North Carolina Capitol in Raleigh for a jam-packed schedule of legislative meetings earlier this year. In less than one week, an incredible 42 co-sponsors had joined our four primary sponsors in support of the resolution. The strength of this support was so compelling that the resolution was expedited, bypassing the traditional committee hearings and progressing directly to the House floor.
In highlighting these states, we've merely scratched the surface of the extensive grassroots efforts throughout this year. Our dedicated activists have made their presence felt through committee testimonies nationwide, while our esteemed constitutional experts have spent weeks on the road, tirelessly advocating for crucial legislative support. Hosting hundreds of events has been instrumental in arming every Convention of States supporter with the necessary tools to propel our resolution forward.
In other words, our hands have been full, and our commitment to saving America and preserving freedom for future generations remains resolute. At Convention of States, we pledge our lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to each other and the mission, living out this commitment every day, especially during the legislative season.
Now, having laid the groundwork for historic success in 2023, we stand poised and ready for a record-smashing, history-changing 2024. To join the movement, sign the petition below and get involved today.
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2023 in Review pt. 1 — Race in the States
Published in Blog on December 27, 2023 by Jakob Fay
