You've probably heard the phrase "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty."
It has been attributed to great men such as Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and Frederick Douglass. But the original formulation came from the Irish statesman John Philpot Curran, who stated:
"The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt."
Convention of States volunteer activists take this to heart, even in states that have passed the resolution calling for a limited-purpose Article V convention to rein in the federal government.
The struggle to secure and strengthen liberty never ends for the largest collection of self-governing activists in the republic. Servitude is not an option.
That's why the COS grassroots army works to maintain and extend relationships with state legislators by championing bills regarding issues such as election integrity, parental rights, and state sovereignty -- issues that correspond with the principles of Federalism, Freedom, and Fundamental Rights.
This is referred to as F3 legislation, which is championed by COS activists and true to the principle that self-governance and liberty must never be taken for granted.
COS activists actively seek legislation that meets one of the following criteria:
- Relates to the core principles of federalism (Federalism);
- Involves significant impact upon the rights of citizens to govern themselves (Freedom); and/or
- Directly involves civil liberties or fundamental rights (Fundamental Rights).
"Our F3 initiative is an important aspect of our broader mission of self-governance," said COSA Senior Vice President for Legislative Affairs Rita Peters.
"Our grassroots teams don't just go away once their state legislature passes our application for an Article V convention; they stay engaged by advocating for laws that reinvigorate federalism, enhance freedom, and protect the fundamental rights of all Americans."
What is the result of such engagement? In 2024 alone, major F3 legislation was passed in several states thanks to the tireless efforts of COS activists.
In Georgia, the grassroots championed three separate election integrity bills in conjunction with The Heritage Foundation. The Georgia COS team made contact with Peach State legislators over 450 times in support of the bills. Two of the bills (HB 974 and HB 977) were approved by the legislature. HB 974 was signed by Governor Brian Kemp.
In addition, SB 233, the Georgia Scholarship Promise Act, passed the legislature and was also signed into law.
The Louisiana COS team has made its presence well-known in Baton Rouge, and their work has yielded significant progress.
HB 763, another piece of election integrity legislation, passed the Louisiana legislature and was signed into law by Governor Jeff Landry. Also, HB 114, which establishes a clear process for updating the state’s voter rolls, passed the legislature and received Landry's signature.
Legislation that bans international government organizations such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the World Economic Forum from asserting any jurisdiction in Louisiana was signed into law by Landry.
During the latest episode of "Grassroots Groundbreakers", COS Louisiana Legislative Liaison Dale Clary detailed the team's F3 efforts.
In Tennessee, COS grassroots worked with the group Alliance Defending Freedom to move parental rights in education legislation through the legislature and to the desk of Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, who signed it into law, which codified the rights of parents to control the upbringing of their children.
The Kansas COS team toiled diligently to shepherd land rights legislation in the form of SB 370 through the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs.
Legislation banning transgender surgery from being performed upon minors passed the South Carolina legislature and was signed into law by Governor Henry McMaster.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed HB 3156, which prohibits ranked-choice voting. The COS Sooner State grassroots were active in getting the bill through the legislature, again working with The Heritage Foundation.
The above are just a few examples of the diligent work being done by the COS grassroots all over the country in support of the F3 initiative, which will continue and advance as more states join the call for an Article V convention.
F3 is vigilance in action. To join the fight to secure the blessings of liberty, sign the petition below and contribute your time and talent to this noble cause:
