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‘ConCon better than piecemeal charter changes’
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Posted on Jun 20 2008
A lawmaker says the Commonwealth should consider holding a constitutional convention instead of amending the Constitution on a piecemeal basis.
Rep. Rosemond B. Santos has sponsored a resolution to place the question of holding a constitutional convention on the ballot for the next general election.
Santos, who chairs the House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations, said it is a better approach than having voters decide one by one on the many initiatives that have been proposed in the Legislature.
Currently, members of the 16th Legislature have introduced a total of 25 initiatives.
Santos said this number indicates that the Constitution is in need of change.
The Constitution states that the Legislature should submit the question of calling a constitutional convention to the voters every 10 years. The last constitutional convention was held in 1995.
“[A constitutional convention] will allow for greater discussion and thorough review of all proposed changes to the Constitution. The people will be better informed about each initiative through this deliberative process,” the House JGO Committee said in a report on the resolution.
“Amending the Constitution through legislative initiatives and popular initiatives is feasible when the proposed changes are nominal. However, with all the proposed changes being submitted, it would be more prudent and more beneficial to have representatives at a constitutional convention whose sole duty will be to focus on the Constitution amendments,” the report said.
The House JGO Committee also said the government could save money by holding a constitutional convention, instead of amending the Constitution through the initiative route.
The Commonwealth Election Commission has recently asked for $25,000 for public education for one initiative alone.
