Earlier today, the Idaho House of Representatives debated two resolutions regarding a proposed Article V convention. That section of the Constitution lays out procedures for amending the document:
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states
The Constitution has been successfully amended 27 times, with numerous other amendments failing to achieve ratification. In every case, these amendments were proposed by a 2/3 vote in both chambers of Congress. The alternate method of convening a convention has never happened in American history.
House Concurrent Resolution 9 laid out a proposed procedure for selecting and regulating delegates, should such a convention be called. House Concurrent Resolution 10 would have been the actual call for such a convention, which requires the concurrence of 33 other states.
The House voted upon HCR9 first, and the resolution failed 27-42-1:
The House then took up HCR10, which failed 26-44:
This debate divided legislators across ideological and partisan lines. Rep. Barbara Ehardt debated against the resolutions, claiming that the Founding Fathers were wary of calling additional conventions following the ratification of the Constitution. Rep. Josh Tanner argued that the situation in our country has become untenable, and states must reclaim their authority from a bloated and derelict federal government. Rep. Ilana Rubel cautioned against opening up our Constitution to editing, saying that for all its faults our country has held up quite well over the past two centuries.
Former US senator Rick Santorum, now a spokesman for Convention of States Action (COSA), had visited Idaho in support of these resolutions. He testified in favor during the committee hearings in House Judiciary, Rules, & Administration, where the resolutions each passed by one vote. COSA spent more than $50,000 in Idaho in 2024, working to elect supporters of an Article V convention.
About Brian Almon
Brian Almon is the Editor of the Gem State Chronicle. He also serves as Chairman of the District 14 Republican Party and is a trustee of the Eagle Public Library Board. He lives with his wife and five children in Eagle.
