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HB 1811

An Act amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in property and buildings, further providing for price paid for acquisitions and improvements.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bob Freeman and 7 co-sponsors

Missouri would strictly control its Article V convention delegates, appointing one commissioner and one alternate per district and enforcing instructions and recalls to ensure comp

Referred to Game & Fisheries
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Bill Summary · HB 1811

Summary — HB 1811 (Article V convention commissioners procedures)

Note: The packet you provided contains multiple, unrelated legislative texts (including Illinois and Arkansas bills labeled HB 1811). This summary focuses on the Article V convention commissioners bill (the Missouri-language draft adding section 21.950), which matches the bill title you gave: "Creates procedures for the appointment of commissioners to a convention called under Article V of the U.S. Constitution."

Purpose and intent

Establish a statutory process for selecting, instructing, supervising, and, if necessary, recalling Missouri’s commissioners (and alternates) who would attend a convention called under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. The aim is to ensure the state legislature controls who represents Missouri and binds commissioners to legislative instructions and limits (including voting rules).

Key provisions

  • Number and distribution
    • Missouri shall appoint one commissioner and one alternate per congressional district (i.e., number equals congressional districts at the time).
  • Eligibility and disqualifications
    • Commissioners/alternates must be Missouri citizens and meet the qualifications for the Missouri House of Representatives.
    • Ineligible: members of the U.S. House or Senate, U.S. employees, employees/representatives of U.S. contractors, and statewide elected officials.
    • Commissioners/alternates remain subject to applicable legislative ethics rules.
  • Composition requirements
    • At least one-third of commissioners and one-third of alternates must not be sitting members of the General Assembly.
  • Selection process
    • A joint legislative committee (5 senators and 5 representatives; majority/minority party composition specified) recommends at least three eligible nominees per district for commissioners and three different nominees per district for alternates.
    • The House and Senate select one commissioner and one alternate per district by concurrent resolution from the names submitted.
  • Instructions, oath, and constraints
    • Commissioners and alternates must take an oath to faithfully perform duties and abide by instructions set by concurrent resolution of the General Assembly.
    • The General Assembly will receive “Recommended Commissioner Instructions” from the joint committee and adopt instructions by concurrent resolution; instructions may be amended before or during the convention.
    • Required instructions include: (a) support only a “one-state, one-vote” rule; and (b) Missouri’s state vote at the convention equals a single vote determined by a simple majority of Missouri’s commissioners.
    • Any vote by a commissioner outside the adopted legislative instructions or the state’s application to the convention is unauthorized and void.
  • Governance and enforcement
    • A majority of commissioners is a quorum; no proxy voting allowed; commissioners choose a chair.
    • The joint legislative committee may investigate alleged unauthorized votes, recall commissioners, revoke authority, and appoint an alternate to replace a recalled commissioner.
    • Commissioners must report suspected violations to the joint committee.

Who is affected

  • Missouri General Assembly (authority to set instructions and appoint commissioners)
  • Potential commissioners/alternates (legislators and non-legislators)
  • The joint legislative committee (administration, vetting, and enforcement duties)
  • Missouri’s representation and voting at any Article V convention

Procedural/timing aspects

  • The joint legislative committee is formed “after or near” the time an Article V convention is called and acts quickly to submit nominees and recommended instructions.
  • Commissioners’ instructions may be changed by the General Assembly prior to or during the convention.
  • The statute provides mechanisms (recall, investigation) to enforce adherence while the convention is underway.

Potential effects/considerations

  • Asserts strong legislative control over state delegates and their voting limits (including a prescribed one-state/one-vote rule).
  • Limits who may serve (excludes federal officers and some statewide officials).
  • Creates checks (recall by joint committee) intended to prevent commissioners from exceeding legislative mandates.
  • May raise constitutional or federal-law questions in practice (e.g., enforceability of instructions at a national convention), and could prompt legal challenges depending on circumstances.

If you want, I can:
- Produce a timeline-style flow of selection/appointment steps;
- Draft a one-page handout comparing this approach to selection procedures in other states; or
- Extract and summarize the unrelated Illinois and Arkansas provisions included in your packet.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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