Texas House approves measure calling for national convention of states



Keep clicking to see if Texas could succeed in a secession. less Texas Rep. Rick Miller's bill to call for a first-ever national convention of the states aimed at limiting the federal government's powers was approved by the Texas House on May 4, 2017.

Keep clicking to see if ... more Texas Rep. Rick Miller's bill to call for a first-ever national convention of the states aimed at limiting the federal government's powers was approved by the Texas House on May 4, 2017. Photo: Editorial Board Photo: Editorial Board Image 1 of / 33 Caption Close Texas House approves measure calling for national convention of states 1 / 33 Back to Gallery

AUSTIN – The Texas House approved a resolution Thursday calling for a first-ever national convention of the states aimed at limiting the federal government's powers.

Texas now joins a handful of states calling for Congress to convene the convention of states to consider changing the U.S. Constitution. Supporters of such a convention, including Gov. Greg Abbott, say overreaching federal government powers must be limited. The Senate already approved Senate Joint Resolution 2.

INDEPENDENCE: Fresh backing for Texas secession? Yeah, sort of

By law, 34 states must ask for a convention of the states before it can be convened, and any amendments to the Constitution would require the support of at least 38 states to become law. Abbott made convention of the states one of his four emergency items for the session.

The bill's House sponsor, Rep. Rick Miller, told lawmakers that he did not wish to rewrite the U.S. Constitution. Ten states have passed similar resolutions, said Miller, and Texas' call for the convention is "for fiscal restraint, legislative and regulatory overreach and term limits."

"The purpose of this, if you read Article V, is only to propose amendments to the Constitution, not to rewrite the Constitution," Miller, R-Sugar Land, said.

But those opposed to the resolution say a convention could give states more power.

NOT JUST TEXAS: Rueters poll says nearly 1 in 3 Californians support peaceful secession

House Democrats debated the resolution Thursday. Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, brought forward an amendment that would have removed delegates found to have colluded with a foreign government. The amendment was tabled.

Celia Israel, D-Austin, reminded Miller that there "are a lot of things I would like to change that you may not like to change." For example, she said, as an LGBTQ Texan she would like to see lesbian, gay and transgender people fully recognized in the U.S. Constitution.

With almost no debate, the Texas House passed a separate bill, Senate Bill 21, that outlines the duties of Texas delegates if the convention were to happen. The bill now heads to Abbott for his signature.

The governor said as a champion of limited government he applauded the House for approving the resolution Thursday.

"Today marks an important step toward restraining a runaway federal government and returning power back to the states and their respective citizens as our Founders intended," Abbott said in a statement. "The Texas Legislature has heard and responded to the voices of those they represent."