Whereas, the Legislature of the State of Arizona, acting with the best of intentions, has in the past applied to the Congress of the United States by memorial or resolution in accordance with article V, Constitution of the United States, for one or more constitutional conventions for the purpose of amending the Constitution of the United States; and
Whereas, over the course of time, the will of the people of the State of Arizona has changed with regards to Arizona’s previous calls for a constitutional convention to amend the Constitution of the United States; and
Whereas, certain persons or states have called for a constitutional convention on issues that may be directly in opposition to the will of the people of this state; and
Whereas, the people of this state do not want their previous applications for a constitutional convention to be aggregated with those calls for a convention from other states; and
Whereas, former Justice of the United States Supreme Court Warren E. Burger, former Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court Arthur J. Goldberg and many other leading constitutional scholars are in general agreement that a convention, notwithstanding whatever limitation might be placed on it by the call for a convention, may propose sweeping constitutional changes or, by virtue of the authority of a constitutional convention, redraft the Constitution of the United States creating an imminent peril to the well established rights of citizens and to the duties of various levels of government; and
Whereas, the Constitution of the United States has been amended many times in the history of this nation and may be amended many more times without the need to resort to a constitutional convention, and has been interpreted for more than two hundred years and found to be a sound document that protects the lives and liberties of citizens; and
Whereas, there is no need for, and in fact there is great danger in, a new constitution or in opening the Constitution of the United States to radical changes, the adoption of which could create legal chaos in this nation and begin the process of another two centuries of litigation over its meaning and interpretation; and
Whereas, changes or amendments that may be needed in the present Constitution of the United States may be proposed and enacted without resorting to a constitutional convention by using the process provided in the Constitution and previously used throughout the history of this nation.
Therefore, Be it resolved by the Senate of the State of Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring:
1. That the Legislature of the State of Arizona hereby repeals, rescinds, cancels, renders null and void and supersedes any and all existing applications to the Congress of the United States for a constitutional convention under Article V of the Constitution of the United States for any purpose, whether limited or general.
2. That the Legislature of the State of Arizona urges the legislature of each and every state that has applied to Congress for either a general or limited constitutional convention to repeal and rescind their applications.
3. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies of this resolution to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Administrator of General Services in Washington, D.C., each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona and the Secretaries of State and presiding officers of both houses of the legislatures of each state in the Union.