85R12176 JRJ-F     By: Hinojosa H.J.R. No. 120       A JOINT RESOLUTION   applying to Congress for a limited national convention for the   exclusive purpose of proposing an amendment to the United States   Constitution to restore balance and integrity to our elections.          WHEREAS, The framers of the Constitution of the United States   intended that the Congress of the United States should be   "dependent on the people alone" (James Madison, Federalist No. 52);   and          WHEREAS, That dependency has evolved from a dependency on the   people alone to a dependency on powerful special interests, through   campaigns or third-party groups, that has created a fundamental   imbalance in our representative democracy; and          WHEREAS, Americans across the political spectrum agree that   elections in the United States should be free from the   disproportional influence of special interests and fair enough that   any citizen can be elected into office; and          WHEREAS, The Constitution of the State of Texas states: "All   political power is inherent in the people, and all free governments   are founded on their authority, and instituted for their benefit"   and the people have the right at all times to reform their   government "in such manner as they may think expedient" (Section 2,   Article I); and          WHEREAS, Article V of the United States Constitution requires   Congress to call a convention for proposing amendments to that   constitution on the application of two-thirds of the legislatures   of the several states; and          WHEREAS, The 85th Texas Legislature perceives the need for an   amendments convention in order to restore balance and integrity to   our elections by proposing an amendment to the federal constitution   that will permanently protect free and fair elections in America,   and desires that said convention be so limited; and          WHEREAS, The 85th Texas Legislature intends that this joint   resolution be a continuing application considered together with   applications calling for a convention on this subject, such as   those approved by Vermont legislators (2014 Vermont, Joint   Resolution Senate No. 27, 160 Congressional Record S4331,   POM-284), by California legislators (2014 California, Assembly   Joint Resolution No. 1, 160 Congressional Record S5507, POM-320),   by Illinois legislators (2014 Illinois, Senate Joint Resolution   No. 42), by New Jersey legislators (2015 New Jersey, Senate   Concurrent Resolution No. 132), by Rhode Island legislators (2016   Rhode Island, Senate Resolution No. 2589 and House Resolution   No. 7670), and all other passed, pending, and future applications   until such time as the legislatures of two-thirds of the several   states have applied for a convention for a similar purpose and said   convention is convened by Congress; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the State of Texas desires that the delegates   to said convention be composed equally of individuals currently   elected to state and local office, or be selected by election, in   each congressional district in Texas, for the purpose of serving as   Texas delegates, though all individuals elected or appointed to   federal office now, or in the past, be prohibited from serving as   Texas delegates to the convention and intends to retain the ability   to restrict or expand the power of its delegates within the limits   herein expressed; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That the people of the State of Texas speaking   through their legislature, and pursuant to Article V of the United   States Constitution, hereby apply to the United States Congress to   call a convention for the exclusive and limited purpose of   proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States   that will restore free and fair elections as described herein as   soon as two-thirds of the legislatures of the several states have   applied for a convention for a similar purpose; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That the chief administrative officer of the Texas   House of Representatives or Senate transmit copies of this   resolution to the president of the United States, to the speaker of   the House of Representatives of the United States, to the vice   president of the United States in the vice president's capacity as   the presiding officer of the Senate of the United States, to the   minority leader of the United States House of Representatives, to   the president pro tempore of the United States Senate, to all   members of the Texas delegation to Congress, with the respectful   request that the full and complete text of this resolution be   printed in the Congressional Record, and to the presiding officers   of each legislative body of each of the several states, requesting   the cooperation of the states in issuing an application compelling   Congress to call a convention for proposing amendments pursuant to   Article V of the United States Constitution.