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Bill

SJR 3

Apply to Congress: Constitutional Convention for certain purposes

136th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by George Lang and 2 co-sponsors

Ohio petitions Congress to convene a Constitutional Convention for unspecified purposes under Article V, potentially enabling constitutional revision if adopted by enough states.

Referred to committee
#constitutionalamendment #stategovernment #stateandlocalgovernment
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Bill Summary · SJR 3

Legislative bill overview

SJR 3 is a joint resolution that would direct Ohio to petition Congress requesting the calling of a Constitutional Convention limited to specific purposes. The resolution follows Article V of the U.S. Constitution, which allows two-thirds of state legislatures to call for such a convention. The bill does not specify which purposes the convention should address, leaving that determination to legislative discretion.

Why is this important

A Constitutional Convention is an extraordinarily rare event—the last one occurred in 1787. If successful across multiple states, this could fundamentally alter the U.S. Constitution itself. The stakes are significant because a convention could theoretically address any constitutional provision, regardless of the stated "limited" purpose, making this a powerful tool for constitutional change with unpredictable consequences.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope ambiguity: The bill lacks specificity about which purposes the convention should address, creating uncertainty about what constitutional changes might actually occur
  • Runaway convention risk: Opponents worry that once convened, delegates could propose amendments far beyond the stated purpose, potentially destabilizing core constitutional protections
  • Strategic use: Some view this as a partisan tactic to bypass normal amendment processes when supermajority consensus cannot be achieved through conventional means

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

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