H.J.R. 15 Enrolled

RESOLUTION RESCINDING THE CALL FOR
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
2001 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Sponsor: Fred J. Fife
Don E. Bush
Neal B. Hendrickson
Richard M. Siddoway
David L. Hogue
James R. Gowans
Glenn A. Donnelson
Max W. Young
Carl W. Duckworth
DeMar Bud Bowman
Matt Throckmorton
Scott Daniels
Neil A. Hansen
Mike Thompson
Martin R. Stephens
Darin G. Peterson
Stephen D. Clark
David N. Cox
Duane E. Bourdeaux
Joseph G. Murray
Carl R. Saunders
LaWanna Shurtliff
Cindy Beshear
Ty McCartney
Peggy Wallace
Glenn L. Way
Michael R. Styler
Judy Ann Buffmire
Merlynn T. Newbold
Brad King
Sheryl L. Allen
J. Morgan Philpot
David Ure
Craig W. Buttars
Jack A. Seitz
Katherine M. Bryson
Carol Spackman Moss
David Litvack
Roger E. Barrus
Stephen H. Urquhart

This joint resolution of the Legislature urges the repealing, rescinding, and superseding of
any and all existing applications to Congress for a constitutional convention previously made
by the Legislature of the state of Utah. The resolution urges other states to take the same
action.
Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
WHEREAS, the Legislature of the state of Utah, acting with the best of intentions, has, at
various times, previously made applications to the Congress of the United States of America for
one or more constitutional conventions for general purposes or for the limited purposes of
considering amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America on various subjects
and for various purposes;
WHEREAS, former Justices of the United States Supreme Court and other leading
constitutional scholars are in general agreement that a constitutional convention, notwithstanding
whatever limitations have been specified in the applications of the several states for a convention,
would have within the scope of its authority the complete redrafting of the Constitution of the

United States of America, thereby creating an imminent peril to the well-established rights of the
people and to the constitutional principles under which we are presently governed;
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the United States of America has been amended many times
in the history of the nation and may yet be amended many more times, and has been interpreted for
200 years and been found to be a sound document which protects the rights and liberties of the
people without the need for a constitutional convention;
WHEREAS, there is no need for--rather, there is great danger in--a new constitution, the
adoption of which would only create legal chaos in America and only begin the process of another
two centuries of litigation over its meaning and interpretation; and
WHEREAS, such changes or amendments as may be needed in the present Constitution may
be proposed and enacted, pursuant to the process provided therein and previously used throughout
the history of this nation, without resort to a constitutional convention:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the state of Utah that any
and all existing applications to the Congress of the United States of America for a constitutional
convention or conventions heretofore made by the Legislature of the state of Utah under Article V
of the Constitution of the United States of America for any purpose, whether limited or general, be
hereby repealed, rescinded, and canceled and rendered null and void to the same effect as if the
applications had never been made.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah urges the legislatures
of each and every state which have applied to Congress for either a general or a limited constitutional
convention to repeal and rescind the applications.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to presiding officers of
both houses of the legislatures of each of the other states of the Union, to the President of the United
States Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and to the members of
Utah's congressional delegation.

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