1.1.................... moves to amend S.F. No. 17, the first engrossment, as follows:
1.2Page 1, after line 6, insert:
1.3"WHEREAS, under Article V of the Constitution of the United States, the Congress,
1.4whenever two-thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments
1.5to the Constitution; and
1.6WHEREAS, under Article V of the Constitution of the United States, the Congress,
1.7on the application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the several states, shall call a
1.8convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States that shall
1.9be valid to all intents and purposes if ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the
1.10several states, or by conventions in three-fourths thereof, as one or the other mode of
1.11ratification may be proposed by Congress; NOW, THEREFORE,
1.12BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota that it requests that
1.13Congress propose an amendment to the Constitution that shall substantially read as follows:
1.14"(1) The rights protected by the Constitution of the United States are the rights
1.15of natural persons only.
1.16(2) Artificial entities, such as corporations, limited liability companies, and other
1.17entities, established by the laws of any State, the United States, or any foreign state shall
1.18have no rights under this Constitution and are subject to regulation by the People, through
1.19Federal, State, or local law.
1.20(3) The privileges of artificial entities shall be determined by the People, through
1.21Federal, State, or local law, and shall not be construed to be inherent or inalienable.
1.22(4) Federal, State, and local government shall regulate, limit, or prohibit contributions
1.23and expenditures, including a candidate's own contributions and expenditures, to ensure
1.24that all citizens, regardless of their economic status, have access to the political process,
1.25and that no person gains, as a result of their money, substantially more access or ability to
1.26influence in any way the election of any candidate for public office or any ballot measure.
2.1(5) Federal, State, and local government shall require that any permissible
2.2contributions and expenditures be publicly disclosed.
2.3(6) The judiciary shall not construe the spending of money to influence elections
2.4to be speech under the 1st Amendment.
2.5(7) Nothing contained in this amendment shall be construed to abridge the freedom
2.6of the press."
2.7BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if Congress does not propose the amendment
2.8language or substantially similar amendment language as contained in this resolution, the
2.9Legislature of the State of Minnesota applies to the Congress of the United States to call
2.10a constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing the amendment language or
2.11substantially similar amendment language as contained in this resolution as an amendment
2.12to the Constitution of the United States; and
2.13BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the State of Minnesota and
2.14the people of Minnesota demand that if Congress does not propose the amendment
2.15language in this resolution and if at least two-thirds of state legislatures have applied
2.16to Congress to call for a constitutional convention to adopt the same or substantially
2.17similar constitutional amendment language contained in this resolution, then the Congress
2.18must exercise its constitutional duty to call a constitutional convention, and that the
2.19constitutional convention shall be called within six months from the date that at least
2.20two-thirds of state legislatures have made the same or similar application to Congress; and
2.21BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the State of Minnesota calls
2.22on other states to join with the Legislature of the State of Minnesota in this action by
2.23passing the same or similar resolutions; and
2.24BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of Minnesota is directed
2.25to prepare copies of this resolution and transmit them to the Speaker and the Clerk of
2.26the United States House of Representatives, the President and the Secretary of the
2.27United States Senate, the United States Secretary of State, and Minnesota's Senators
2.28and Representatives in Congress."
2.29Page 1, delete lines 7 to 23
2.30Page 2, delete lines 1 to 31
2.31Page 3, delete lines 1 and 2
2.32Delete the title and insert:
2.33"A joint resolution
2.34requesting that Congress propose a constitutional amendment and, if Congress
2.35does not propose an amendment, applying to Congress to call a constitutional
2.36convention to propose an amendment clarifying that the rights protected under
2.37the Constitution are the rights of natural persons and not the rights of artificial
2.38entities and that spending money to influence elections is not speech under the
2.39First Amendment."