ATLANTA – State Representative Bruce Williamson (R-Monroe) recently attended a meeting of the Assembly of State Legislatures (ASL) where legislators established the rules needed to hold a state-led convention for proposing amendments to the U.S. Constitution and concluded with the signing of a resolution in support of the proposed rules package. More than 60 state legislators representing 30 states attended the meeting in Philadelphia, including Georgia State Representatives Timothy Barr (R-Lawrenceville), Andy Welch (R-Locust Grove) and Wendell Willard (R-Sandy Springs).
“Everyone recognizes that our Federal budget is out of control, and Congress has consistently failed to address the problem,” said Rep. Williamson. “The U.S. Constitution specifically gives the right to the states to propose amendments, and I believe the time is now for a balanced budget amendment. ASL has taken the lead in bringing state delegates together to work through issues prior to the call of a national amending convention.”
The Assembly met for two days at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, where participating state lawmakers debated, amended and voted to approve a draft to address all aspects of the rules needed to hold a state-led convention for proposing amendments to the U.S. Constitution, should one be called by the states in the future. Georgia’s delegation joined the majority of states in approving the proposed rules.
Article V of the U.S. Constitution authorizes 34 states to call a convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution. However, no such convention has ever been held in the history of the country, and there are no specifications for how the convention is to be conducted in the Constitution.
The Assembly of State Legislatures is a bipartisan organization of currently serving state legislators which gathers annually to discuss the process and define the rules for conducting a state-lead convention to amend the Constitution of the United States.
For more information on ASL, please click here.
Representative Bruce Williamson represents the citizens of District 115, which includes portions of Walton County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2010, and currently serves as the Secretary/Treasurer of the House Republican Caucus and on the Banks & Banking, Energy, Utilities, & Telecommunications, Governmental Affairs, Insurance, and Ways & Means committees.
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