05-02-2025
House now says no to US constitutional convention
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota House of Representatives has turned down the latest attempt to ask Congress to call a national convention to consider amendments to the United States Constitution.
The vote was 29-38 Tuesday on Senate Joint Resolution 502. It called for amendments that would place fiscal restraints on the federal government, further limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office for members of Congress and other federal officials.
UPDATE: Emergency rescue at Turner County Courthouse
Nineteen states have called on Congress to convene a constitutional convention. At least 34 are needed. It would be the first state-driven convention.
The House however earlier this session passed House Joint Resolution 5002 calling for a national convention to consider congressional term limits. That proposal awaits a hearing before the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Some House members expressed fear Tuesday that a convention could hurt South Dakota. 'Once you open up the constitution to make changes, who knows where it's going to go,' Republican Rep. Terry Jorgenson said.
The Senate had already approved SJR 502 by a vote of 23-9. Republican Rep. Leslie Heinemann, a retired dentist, was its lead House sponsor. In his rebuttal, Heinemann said, 'History will remember us, one way or another.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
