IDAHO HJR10
Article V Constitutional Convention with
3 Separate Applications
Including the Balancing of the Federal Budget, from the Convention of States: imposing fiscal restraints on the Federal Government, limiting the power and jurisdiction of the Federal Government, and Term Limits.
Hearing on Monday, February 17 at 1:30pm, in the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee, Room EW-42.
Register to testify remotely: https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2025/standingcommittees/hjud/#hcode-tab-style2testimony-registration-remote-in-person
MESSAGE: Please vote NO on HJR10 which makes applications to Congress for 3 separate Article V Constitutional Conventions for proposing amendments to the U.S. Constitution. There is no way to limit an Article V Convention. Conservative Supreme Court Justice Scalia called an Article V convention a “horrible idea”. After the convention is convened the Convention will set its own rules and agenda. Liberal states like California and New York will all be there with radical agendas to eliminate the Electoral College and repeal the Second Amendment. (Or better yet write your own message.) More information is below. My submitted testimony is below.
Please CONTACT the Republican House Committee members listed below.
CONTACT Representatives: (Emails below)
Chair: Bruce D. Skaug: (208) 332-1178
Vice Chair: Joe Alfieri: (208) 332-1065
Barbara Ehardt: (208) 332-1189
Marco Adam Erickson: (208) 332-1073
Dan Garner: (208) 332-1081
Clay Handy: (208) 332-1074
Dale R. Hawkins: (208) 332-1070
Edward H. “Ted” Hill: (208) 332-1124
Clint Hostetler: (208) 332-1024
Mike J. Pohanka: (208) 332-1174
Heather Scott: (208) 332-1190
John Shirts: (208) 332-1166
EMAILS: Chair: BSkaug@house.idaho.gov, Committee Republican members:
JAlfieri@house.idaho.gov, BEhardt@house.idaho.gov, MErickson@house.idaho.gov,
DGarner@house.idaho.gov, CHandy@house.idaho.gov, DHawkins@house.idaho.gov,
THill@house.idaho.gov, CHostetler@house.idaho.gov, MPohanka@house.idaho.gov, HScott@house.idaho.gov, JShirts@house.idaho.gov,
Copy of HCR 10: https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2025/legislation/HCR010.pdf
Chief Justice Warren Burger is the highest authority in the United States to ever speak out on a Constitutional Convention. He stated: “I have also repeatedly given my opinion that there is no effective way to limit or muzzle the actions of a Constitutional Convention. The Convention could make its own rules and set its own agenda. Congress might try to limit the Convention to one amendment or to one issue, but there is no way to assure that the Convention would obey. After a Convention is convened, it will be too late to stop the convention if we don’t like its agenda…”
http://www.eagleforum.org/topics/concon/pdf/WarrenBurger-letter.pdf
More information from Eagle Forum:
https://eagleforum.org/topics/concon.html
Janine Hansen’s submitted testimony.
Eagle Forum National Constitutional Issues Chairman
Janine Hansen, 775-397-6859, janine@janinehansen.com
February 17, 2026
Chairman and Members of the Committee. My name is Janine Hansen and I represent National Eagle Forum.
I was intrigued when I read HJR10 which includes three separate Article V Constitutional Convention applications for proposing amendments. We can envision the jeopardy one Constitutional Convention could place our nation in with so many competing States, amendments, ideas, special interests, and political agendas. But think of having three separate Conventions. Conservative Supreme Court Justice Scalia called an Article V convention a “horrible idea” in this age of special interests. “Once you get those people together, you never know what they’re going to do.”
We all hope President Trump will be successful in realigning our Federal Budget. A Balanced Budget Amendment would require taxes to be increased or spending to be cut. Idaho receives 41.08% of its state revenue from the Federal Government. So, a Balanced Budget would mean Idaho would have to significantly raise taxes. Of course, in case of emergency, the Balanced Budget can be set aside. President Trump has declared a state of emergency because of the border and a national energy emergency.
The Convention of States language is the broadest and opens every Section of the Constitution to amendment. In fact, in the COS Pocket Guide, they propose dozens of possible amendments. COS’s language “to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government,” was the purpose of the original Constitution. There was nothing wrong with the Constitution, but the 16th Amendment income tax and 17th Amendment direct election of Senators, both approved by the states, simply destroyed Federalism and the balance of power between the states and the federal government. Now every school district, city, county, and state is controlled by the Federal government through money, grants, and mandates. As State Legislators you have the power to refuse federal money and mandates and turn back the tide of the overreaching federal government.
Until states get serious about rejecting federal money and mandates COS’s language of “imposing fiscal restraints on the federal government” will simply be impossible. Which state legislator as a delegate at a national Constitutional Convention will vote to defund their state of between 31% to 56% they receive from the federal government?
Of course, there is no language in Article V about how delegates are chosen. We can anticipate that every state will be there including California. Past Congressional bills regarding Article V rules always use the measure of the number of Electoral College votes each state has. So, California would have 54 and Idaho 4. California in 2023 passed an Article V application calling for the gutting of the Second Amendment.
Lastly, we have Term Limits at every election. Please vote No on HCR10. Thank you.
