ConCon Legislative Hearings

• Louisiana House Committee on House and Governmental Affairs. May 18 2016

Hearing May 18, 2016, on SCR 52, Sponsored by Senator Dan Claitor, entitled CONSTITUTION CONVENTION Calls for convention to amend United States Constitution

The portion of the hearing devoted to SCR 52 lasted 89 minutes, from 0:20 to 1:49

IN SUPPORT OF CON CON:

initial witnesses were Michael Farris and two legislators

0:25 – Michael Farris repeated the fiction of being limited to particular purposes, and that 38-state ratification requirement would stop bad amendments

0:55 - ratification process and alleged “3 checks”

0:55:46 – other witnesses speak in support

*Students, including a high school sophomore (student testimony ends at 1:00:45)

*Rep. Johnson testified in support, declaring that this is the only way to limit growth of federal government (continuing at 1:02:09

*There was a COS representative in support, who presented 5,000 petitions, over 500 from districts of committeemen

1:05:20 – cards in support, not wishing to speak, including huge staff of COS

NEUTRAL OR AGAINST CON CON:

1:08-1:49 – one witness Professor Raymond Diamond, LSU law, provide information, would like to speak

1:28:24 - Professor Diamond testified that Michael Farris was wrong about the original Constitutional Convention. The call by Congress was different from the call by the States.

Professor Diamond then addressed additional questions, including the likelihood that Congress would pass a Balanced Budget Amendment (which he declined to predict)

1:45:45 - reading a late card in support, and two cards in opposition

CLOSING AND THE VOTE:

1:46:10 - closing on bill by legislature, who emphasized the ratification process

1:47 vote by the Committee

Passed by the full Louisiana Senate, and thereby enacted into law, on May 25.