Resolution Filed in Wyoming Legislature Calls for Convention of States

A joint resolution in the Wyoming House of Representatives, sponsored by Dan Laurson and co-sponsored by six other House members, was filed on Jan. 31.

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The resolution, HJ0002, states that the reason for the resolution is due to several grievances that Laurson and others believe require changes to the U.S. Constitution through a convention of states.

Those issues include a large federal debt, federal mandates, term limits, and the federal government not operating under a proper interpretation of the U.S. Constitution.

One of the issues that Laurson said he hopes gets addressed at a convention is term limits for federal office, and possibly for the judiciary, however, he said he doesn't know how the convention would address any of the issues outlined or what would come about because of the convention.

A similar bill was proposed in the Wyoming Senate in the 2021 general session, but it failed to get out of committee, so this time around they're trying to get it passed in the House.

Laurson said he wouldn't comment on the likelihood of the passage of the resolution in the House, but that the issue polls well among Wyoming citizens.

Laurson, when asked about which federal mandates he takes issue with, said he doesn't like most of them.

"Pretty much a lot of them," Laurson said. "How about the COVID ones we all just went through. All of them. Vaccine mandate definitely. Then who's to say who's controlling if you can get protective measures, somebody is. How about some Ivermectin. Somebody's controlling that issue, and I would guess it's at the federal level."

The effort by Laurson is part of a national effort organized by a group called COS Action to call a convention of states and would propose amendments to the constitution if at least 34 state legislatures pass resolutions calling for a convention.

To date, COS Action states that 17 state legislatures have passed resolutions calling for a convention.

Those states include Alaska, Texas, Utah, Arizona, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Tennesse, and Arkansas.

Since the founding of the U.S., a convention of states has only been convened once, that was to ratify the 21st amendment, which repealed the 18th amendment banning liquor sales in the country.