Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only.

Bill: 118-hjres-48
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
Introduced: 2023-03-30
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Constitution and constitutional amendments

Elections, voting, political campaign regulation

First Amendment rights
Latest action: action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-03-30
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment providing that the rights protected by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only. Artificial entities, such as corporations, shall have no rights under the Constitution and are subject to regulation.</p> <p>The amendment requires federal, state, and local governments to (1) regulate, limit, or prohibit election contributions and expenditures, including a candidate's own contributions and expenditures, to ensure equal access of citizens to the political process, regardless of economic status; and (2) require that any permissible contributions and expenditures be publicly disclosed. </p> <p>Additionally, the judiciary is prohibited from construing the spending of money to influence elections to be speech under the First Amendment. </p>

tv_txt: IA 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. J. RES. 48 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 30, 2023 Ms. Jayapal (for herself, Mr. Keating , Ms. Sánchez , Ms. Norton , Mr. Tonko , Mr. Kilmer , Mr. Panetta , Mr. Beyer , and Ms. Williams of Georgia ) submitted the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary JOINT RESOLUTION Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only.

That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States: — 1. The rights and privileges protected by the Constitution of the United States are the rights and privileges of natural persons only. An artificial entity, such as a corporation, limited liability company, or other for profit entity, established by the laws of any State, the United States, or any foreign State shall have no rights under the Constitution and are subject to regulation by the People, through Federal, State, or local law. The privileges of an artificial entity shall be determined by the People, through Federal, State, or local law, and shall not be construed to be inherent or inalienable. 2. Federal, State, and local government shall regulate, limit, or prohibit contributions and expenditures, including a candidate’s own contributions and expenditures, to ensure that all citizens, regardless of their economic status, have access to the political process, and that no person gains, as a result of that person’s money, substantially more access or ability to influence in any way the election of any candidate for public office or any ballot measure. Federal, State, and local governments shall require that any permissible contributions and expenditures be publicly disclosed. The judiciary shall not construe the spending of money to influence elections to be speech under the First Amendment. 3. This amendment shall not be construed to abridge the privilege secured by the Constitution of the United States of the freedom of the press. .