The Convention of States (COS) Project is a nationwide effort to utilize Article V of the U.S. Constitution to call a convention of the states. Our founders provided this tool to allow We the People to bypass Congress to propose amendments should “an oppressive Congress [not] agree to propose amendments necessary to restrain a rogue, tyrannical legislature” (Col. George Mason, 1787).
The process requires two-thirds (34) of State legislatures to pass a resolution calling for and defining the scope of a convention. To date, 19 states have passed this resolution authorizing a convention to debate and propose amendments to limit terms for all federal officials, impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, and limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government. As with any proposed amendment, ratification requires approval by three-quarters (38) of states.
HJR 235, the North Carolina COS resolution, passed the North Carolina House in March 2023. A resolution with the same text passed in the House in the 2021/2022 session.
The Senate has adjourned and once again refused to act despite passing a resolution with the same text in 2017.
In North Carolina, more than 100,000 grassroots activists support HJR 235 and The Convention of States Project, and have worked tirelessly to build relationships with their legislators. They have spent thousands of hours campaigning for legislative candidates who support our movement.
Since the 2020 election cycle, we have supported 92 candidates in the NC House and Senate with over 220,000 individual voter contacts. COS is one of the most effective and organized grassroots organizations in the state and nationally.
In the days before the final Senate session on December 2nd, our supporters were congratulated by multiple Senators, including some in leadership, who promised that the “Convention of States” resolution would pass the Senate, making North Carolina the 20th State to do so.
But it was not true. It was an epic bait-and-switch.
The Senate passed HJR 151, a different Article V resolution focused solely on a congressional term limit amendment. It would achieve nothing to impose fiscal restraints on or restrict federal government overreach.
In defending the decision, the Senate seemed to take the position that there was no risk [threat] of an Article V convention ever happening. They cited historical precedent when support for Article V conventions was headed off by Congress passing Amendments to the Constitution, which were then ratified by the States and are part of the Constitution today.
State legislators regularly complain rightly about federal funding dependency and mandates but, if that is the case, why pass a watered-down resolution rather than HJR 235, which is more comprehensive?
Resolutions similar to HJR 151 are being promoted by U.S. Term Limits PAC and have only passed in 9 states over 30 years. Resolutions identical to HJR 235 have passed in 19 states in the past 10 years, and are promoted by the Convention of States (COS) Project.
The COS organization has much more robust grassroots organization, compared to U.S. Term Limits, with more than 2.6M activists nationwide. These activists are focused on supporting constitutional conservative candidates and causes and active in all 50 states.
The term limits subject area, offered by HJR 235, empowers the Convention to debate and propose amendments not only to limit the terms of Congressmen but also unelected, unaccountable federal bureaucrats where it can be argued the real power in Washington resides.
HJR 151 limits an Article V convention to debate and propose a single Constitutional Amendment to limit US congressional terms which is insufficient and potentially dangerous given the existing bloated, entrenched federal leviathan.
The current NC Senate needs bold, visionary leadership to solve deeper, longer-term problems like Washington’s constraints on NC policy. This is the power granted to them by our republican form of government.
By passing HJR 151, the North Carolina Senate has ignored thousands of constituents who have supported them. To add insult to injury, many Senators congratulated us ahead of the vote and now patronize us, exclaiming we should view this as a “win”.
The North Carolina Senate has disrespected and misled the North Carolina Convention of States grassroots and significantly increased the likelihood of political ramifications ahead of the 2026 elections.
Senators are sorely mistaken if they believe they have dampened our spirit and motivation. The average number of COS supporters in each North Carolina Senate district has grown from about 400 before the Senate passed a COS resolution in 2017, to over 2,000 today, and it is growing fast.
We are enraged and will not be ignored. Buckle up!
Want to help and get involved? Go to www.conventionofstates.com and sign the petition.
Jeff Groh and his wife Corrine Mandell reside in western North Carolina and are small business owners. Jeff is a Regional Captain for the Convention of States Project serving North Carolina.
Simon Percival resides in North Raleigh, is a CTO in the non-profit space, and is also a Regional Captain for the Convention of States Project serving North Carolina.
