September 8, 2008
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The Case for a Citizens' Constitutional Convention
By Senator Mike Folmer

The goal of my Promise to Pennsylvania is to reinstate the principles upon which our state was founded, and to restore citizens' trust in government through legislative and political reform. However, with controversies continuing to swirl around the General Assembly, people are growing impatient – and rightly so.

That's why I was one of the first to sign onto Senator Jeff Piccola's petition for a Special Session on Ethics and Government Reform.  While I remain optimistic that this effort will succeed, I also recognize that time is growing short to garner a majority of legislators in both chambers to convene a Special Session.

I believe the best chance for people to get their government back is to hold a Citizens' Constitutional Conventional, where vital reforms (many of which are part of the Promise to Pennsylvania) can be addressed by ordinary citizens.

My Senate Bill 1290 would put the idea of a Citizens' Constitutional Convention before Pennsylvania voters in the spring 2009 election. If approved, 150 delegates (three from each Senatorial District) – ordinary citizens, not legislators or lobbyists – would be elected in the fall 2009 election. By relying upon citizens, the Convention would not be merely a shadow Legislature.

Senate Bill 1290 outlines rules and procedures for a convention. Delegate candidates would need to be 21 years of age, obtain 100 signatures from registered district voters, and pay the standard $100 filing fee.  Delegate elections would be nonpartisan - no party affiliation would appear next to candidates' names on the ballot.  As delegates would debate reform full-time for nine months, my plan would pay them the same salary legislators earn.  Otherwise, only the wealthy and retirees could afford to be a delegate.

Open for debate at the convention would be such ideas as term limits, fair redistricting, ending lame duck sessions, and empowering the people to recall statewide officials. Proposed revisions to the current Constitution would first need the approval of 2/3 of the convention delegates and then statewide voter approval. My plan would limit the scope of the convention to the articles of our state Constitution that deal with the operation of the three branches of state Government; our Bill of Rights would be strictly off-limits, as would policy areas such as education and transportation.

The cost of the Convention would come from existing moneys and would not trigger a tax increase or a decrease in funding for existing state programs and services. 

SB 1290 and two other Constitutional Convention bills are scheduled to be considered by the Senate State Government Committee on September 17.

I am hopeful that the Senate will be given the chance to consider Senate Bill 1290.  The people of Pennsylvania deserve the opportunity to be heard.