Surge Day, Feb 14, 2023, marked the four year anniversary of the passage of the COS resolution in Arkansas.
Fourteen Convention of States supporters gathered at the state capitol on a cold and rainy Tuesday, to distribute packets to all 135 legislators. These packets included brochures about Convention of States, a letter of introduction from a local COS contact, statistics on the number of COS petition signers in their personal House or Senate districts and some much-enjoyed candy to celebrate the Valentine’s Day anniversary date.
This packet of information was needed because roughly 40 percent of the legislators at the capitol this year were elected since the original resolution was passed in 2019 and may have only rudimentary knowledge of the mission of the Convention of States organization or their role in the procedure for proposing amendments to the US Constitution.
Arkansas is part of the 19 states that have currently passed the identical resolution to call a Convention of States, but 34 states are needed to meet the requirements in Article V of the constitution to call the convention. Once proposed the amendments must be sent back to the state legislatures for final ratification and passage in 38 states is needed for the proposals to become amendments.
The COS group also met with Representative Mary Bentley from Perryville about her sponsorship of an upcoming Faithful Delegate resolution which will be presented later in the spring session.
Passed States Regional Director Jonathan Viaud, and Ren Moye, the Special Projects Coordinator from Florida flew in to be with the group at the capitol.