Article V Term Limit Application Status: In-Force (Single-Issue Application)
Florida has an active application for a ‘Single-Issue’ Article V Convention. This type of application can be combined (aggregated) with those of other states towards a Term Limits Convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution.
The Article V Library lists 26 state applications compatible with the Term Limits Convention, however we believe South Carolina’s 1832 application does not meet the requirements for aggregation. Therefore, we count the total number of states with relevant, active congressional term limit applications at 25 of the needed two-thirds (34) to require congress to call a ‘Convention for Proposing Amendments’ to formally propose an amendment.
Like all amendment proposals, this amendment would require the approval (ratification) of three-fourths (38) of the states to become a part of the U.S. Constitution.
In our nation’s history, amendment proposals that were ultimately successful took an average of less than two years to reach the three-fourths threshold. This is with the exception of the 27th Amendment which took 204 years! Given the support-level of a congressional term limit amendment, we are confident that the ratification requirement would be the less difficult bar to reach. States, however, cannot ratify that which has not first been proposed by either two-thirds of congress or a ‘Convention for Proposing Amendments’ as described in Article V of the Constitution.
Action Needed
US Term Limits is actively defending this application from rescission efforts. There are several opposition groups fomenting conspiracy-theories that conflate an amendments convention under Article V with a full-authority, plenipotentiary Constitutional Convention. While we do not engage in dialogue or debate with fringe groups of this sort, we do monitor their activities and
watch for efforts from within the legislature to rescind previous applications.
Grassroots Development
We are currently building support throughout the state. Volunteers are needed to help us schedule meet-ups, town meetings, speaking engagements, committee hearings, and lobby-days at the capital. Please contact us and let us know how you would like to get involved by answering this short Volunteer Survey. It is also necessary to identify supportive members in the state’s legislature so that a leadership-level sponsor can be found to introduce an appropriate resolution. We are aware of many Article V activists here and very much much need help to keep that base strong to defend our existing application through events and educational efforts.
Notice to Legislative Candidates (Including Incumbents)
Since voters of both parties overwhelmingly support congressional term limits, we are offering the opportunity to sign a pledge to defend our existing resolution in the next session. That document can be found here:
Term Limits Convention Pledge(State Legislator)
We suggest having a picture taken while signing, and another posing with the pledge. Please send us these images so that we can post them on social media.
