# Plain Language Summary: Article V Memorial Requirements Bill

This bill sets up new rules for how states can submit formal requests to Congress asking for a constitutional convention. Under Article V of the Constitution, states have the right to petition Congress to call a convention to propose amendments to the Constitution. Right now, there aren't clear federal rules about how these petitions should be formatted or what information they need to include. This bill would change that by creating specific requirements that states must follow when they submit these requests.

The bill essentially creates a standardized process. States would have to follow certain formatting rules and include specific information when they submit their petitions to Congress. This means Congress would receive these state requests in a consistent, organized way rather than having each state do things differently. The bill also likely includes rules about how Congress should handle and track these petitions once they arrive. Think of it like creating an official form and procedure that everyone has to use instead of each person doing their own thing.

Why does this matter? Right now, there's been increased interest from various states in calling a constitutional convention to propose amendments on different topics. Without clear federal rules, there's confusion about what counts as a valid petition, how many states need to request it, and how Congress should keep track of everything. This bill tries to bring order to that process by making the rules explicit and uniform. It doesn't change whether states have the right to make these requests—it just makes the process clearer and more organized for everyone involved.

A bill to create requirements relating to memorials submitted pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of the United States, and for other purposes.

Braun, Mike

 <p>This bill sets out requirements for documenting proposed amendments to the Constitution and rescissions of prior proposals that are submitted to Congress by state legislatures.</p> <p>Specifically, the Senate and the House of Representatives must (1) make the submissions available online in a searchable format that is organized by state of origin and year of submission; and (2) provide certain information about each submission, including whether the submission proposes a new amendment or rescinds a prior proposal and the citation for the submission in the Congressional Record.</p>