PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS (Senate - January 28, 1992)
[Page: S529]
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POM-288. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Louisiana; to the Committee on the Judiciary:
`Whereas, the Legislature of the state of Louisiana, acting with the best intentions, has previously made application to the Congress of the United States of America for the calling of a constitutional convention for the limited purpose of proposing certain amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America; and
`Whereas, the best legal minds in the nation today are in general agreement that a convention , notwithstanding whatever limitation might be placed upon it by the call of said convention , would have within the scope of its authority the complete redrafting of the Constitution of the United States of America, thereby creating a great danger of the well-established rights of our people and to the constitutional principles under which we are presently governed; and
`Whereas, the Constitution of the United States of America, while it has been amended many times in the history of the nation and may yet be amended many times, has been extensively interpreted and has proven to be a basically sound document which protects the freedom of all Americans; and
`Whereas, there is no need for a new constitution, the adoption of which would create legal chaos in America and only begin the process of another two centuries of litigation over its interpretation by the courts; and
`Whereas, such changes as may be needed in the present Constitution of the United States may be proposed and enacted by the well-established methods of amendment contained therein.
`Therefore, be it Resolved That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby rescind any and all previous applications to the Congress of the United States made by the Legislature of the state of Louisiana pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of the United States of America for the calling of a constitutional convention for any purpose, limited or general.
`Be it further Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America, to the members of the Louisiana delegation to the Congress of the United States, and to the presiding officers of each house of the legislatures of the several states.'
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