Hoosier State Today

The Convention of States of Indiana has registered record growth in supporters this year and expects consistent growth for the the rest of 2021.

"We have had steady growth for the past six to seven years since the organization was founded," Dale Parrish, state director of COS Indiana told Hoosier State Today. "We have had very consistent, good growth."

COS Indiana was formed about seven years ago and is part of the national organization Convention of States (COS). Currently, COS has 5 million members nationally and COS Indiana has 55,000 supporters. 

Parrish said January membership numbers were up 100% over January 2020.

"I attribute this to people frustrated as to what do we do now and what can we do now," Parrish said.

He said that during the Obama years the growth in supporters was very good and during the Trump administration, he said "membership fell off."

"Now that the Biden administration is in, the enthusiasm for our cause has just blossomed," Parrish said. "The goal for 2021 in Indiana is to reach 70,000 supporters ... and I believe we're easily going to meet that goal."  

The Convention of States is a national effort to call a convention of the states under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. It takes 34 states to call a convention, and currently 15 have passed the resolution. Indiana passed its resolution in 2016, Parrish said.

If an additional 19 states passed the resolution, a convention will take place. Parrish noted the three areas of focus in the first convention will be the national debt, limiting the breadth and control of the federal government and term limits on Congress and the federal judiciary.

"Thirty-four states, or two-thirds of the states, can gather and call for a Convention of States for the purpose of proposing amendments to the Constitution," Parrish said. "I think there is going to be an increased interest by states who have yet to pass resolutions. We could probably add 10 more states in 2021."

Parrish said the Founding Fathers, through Article V, expanded the power beyond the federal government to amend the Constitution. 

There are two methods the Constitution can be amended. First, two-thirds of Congress can propose an amendment and then 38 state legislatures need to ratify it. The second method is the goal of COS – 34 states can gather and call for a Convention of States to propose an amendment to the Constitution. This process would bypass Congress. If 34 states call for a convention, it will take 38 states to ratify the amendment.

Those who want to become a supporter of COS can go to the national COS website, open an account and sign the petition. Membership is free. The organization on both a state and national level host webinars and roundtable meetings.