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SP 10

Joint Resolution Making Separate Applications To The Congress Of The United States Calling Article V Conventions To Propose Amendments Establishing Term Limits For Members Of Congress And Term Limits For Justices Of The United States Supreme Court

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Joe Baldacci and 5 co-sponsors

Maine requests Congress convene Article V conventions to propose constitutional amendments establishing term limits for Congress members and Supreme Court justices.

Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
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Bill Summary · SP 10

Legislative bill overview

This joint resolution calls on Congress to convene Article V constitutional conventions—a mechanism allowing states to propose amendments without federal approval—to establish term limits for members of Congress and U.S. Supreme Court justices. Maine would formally request that the U.S. Congress initiate these conventions, which require approval from two-thirds of state legislatures to proceed.

Why is this important

Term limits for federal officials represent a fundamental shift in how Congress and the judiciary operate, potentially affecting career tenure, institutional expertise, and political dynamics. The Article V convention process is extraordinarily rare and theoretically contentious; once convened, such a convention could propose amendments beyond the stated purpose, raising concerns about unintended constitutional changes.

Potential points of contention

  • Constitutional mechanism concerns: Article V conventions have never been successfully used; concerns exist about whether a convention could be limited to specific topics or might propose broader amendments unpredictably
  • Legislative resistance: Members of Congress are unlikely to support their own term limitation, creating practical obstacles despite state-level support
  • Judicial independence vs. democratic accountability: Term limits for Supreme Court justices raise philosophical questions about whether it enhances democratic responsiveness or compromises judicial independence and tenure protections
  • Precedent and scope: Using Article V conventions sets a precedent that could invite future convention calls on other constitutional issues, potentially destabilizing constitutional governance

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

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