A Constitutional Convention — an “Article V Convention” — can be called for by a state for any reason. BUT – even a convention called for a specific purpose could spin out of control. There are no rules to limit what can be proposed or changed, giving powerful special interests free rein to rewrite the Constitution behind closed doors. Former Chief Justice Warren Burger warned: “There is no way to effectively limit or muzzle the actions of a Constitutional Convention.”

Senate Joint Resolution 1 (Wiener), sponsored by the League of Women Voters of California, would rescind all of California’s prior calls for an Article V Constitutional Convention. In today’s political climate, where extremist forces are actively seeking to undermine democracy, California’s open calls for a convention offer a direct pathway to chaos. California has seven open calls on the books—each one an open invitation to dismantle the Constitution. SJR-1 is our chance to close that door before it’s too late.

Sincerely,  

Helen Hutchison, Interim Executive Director

P.S. Read more about SJR-1 by taking a look at the bill’s fact sheet here.