Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0667
Sponsors: CHIPMAN, ACKLEY, HARLOW

MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE 
The following document is provided by the 
LAW AND LEGISLATIVE DIGITAL LIBRARY 
at the Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library 
http://legislature.maine.gov/lawlib 
Reproduced from electronic originals 
(may include minor formatting differences from printed original) 
Tuesday, January 16, 2018 
Joint Resolution 
(4-6)  On motion by Senator CHENETTE of York (Cosponsored by Senator: CHIPMAN of 
Cumberland, Representatives: ACKLEY of Monmouth, HARLOW of Portland), the following 
Joint Resolution: 
S.P. 667 
_____ 
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 
TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHTEEN 
_____ 
JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING APPLICATION TO THE CONGRESS 
OF THE UNITED STATES TO CALL A CONSTITUTIONAL 
CONVENTION UNDER ARTICLE V OF THE UNITED STATES 
CONSTITUTION TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED 
STATES CONSTITUTION TO RESTORE FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS 
WHEREAS, the framers of the United States Constitution intended that the Congress of the 
United States should be "dependent on the people alone"; and 
WHEREAS, that dependency has evolved from a dependency on the people alone to a 
dependency on powerful special interests, through campaigns or 3rd-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 of America should be free from the disproportional influence of special interests and fair 
enough that any citizen can be elected to office; and 
WHEREAS, the Constitution of Maine, Article I, Section 2 states that "all power is inherent 
in the people; all free governments are founded in their authority and instituted for their benefit," 
and the people have an unalienable and indefeasible right to reform the government when 
desired; and 
WHEREAS, under the United States Constitution, Article V, the Congress of the United 
States, whenever two-thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments 
to the United States Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the 
several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments that, in either case, shall be 
valid to all intents and purposes, as part of the United States Constitution, when ratified by the 
legislatures of three-fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three-fourths thereof, as 
the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress; now, therefore, be it 
RESOLVED: That the Legislature of Maine respectfully applies to the Congress of the 
United States to call a convention for the specific and exclusive purpose of proposing an 
amendment to the United States Constitution that will permanently protect free and fair elections 
by addressing concerns about the removal of restrictions on amounts of independent political 
spending through Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and related cases and events 
including those occurring long before or afterward or for a substantially similar purpose, and 
desires that the requested convention should be limited to that purpose; and be it further 
Tuesday, January 16, 2018 
RESOLVED: That this State desires that the delegates to the requested convention be 
composed equally of individuals currently elected to state and local office or be selected by 
election in each congressional district for the purpose of serving as delegates and all individuals 
elected or appointed to federal office, now or in the past, be prohibited from serving as delegates 
to the requested convention and that the State intends to retain the ability to restrict or expand the 
power of its delegates within the limits expressed in this paragraph; and be it further 
RESOLVED: That this application by this body constitutes a continuing application in 
accordance with the United States Constitution, Article V together with similar applications 
calling for a convention passed in Vermont, California, Illinois, New Jersey and Rhode Island 
and all other passed, pending and future applications until at least 2/3 of the legislatures of the 
several states have made similar application pursuant to Article V and the convention is 
convened by the Congress of the United States; and be it further 
RESOLVED: That this application is void, rescinded and of no effect in the event that such 
a convention is not limited to such a specific and exclusive purpose; and be it further 
RESOLVED: That the people of the State speaking through its Legislature, and pursuant to 
Article V of the United States Constitution, hereby apply to the Congress of the United States to 
call a convention for the exclusive purpose of proposing an amendment to the United States 
Constitution that will restore free and fair elections as described herein, as soon as 2/3 of the 
several states have applied for a convention for a similar purpose; and be it further 
RESOLVED: That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary of 
State, be transmitted to the Secretary of the Senate and the presiding officers of the houses of the 
legislature of each of the several states in the nation, the President of the United States, the 
Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, the President and the 
Secretary of the United States Senate and each member of the Maine Congressional Delegation. 
_________________________________