Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, is pushing to get Utah behind an Article V “convention of states” for congressional term limits. His proposal is running straight into criticism from one of the state’s most prominent conservative organizations, which calls the move “dangerous.”
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Here’s the short version of Article V: Congress usually proposes amendments with two‑thirds votes in both chambers, then three‑fourths of the states ratify. The never‑used backup lets two‑thirds of state legislatures (34) force Congress to call a convention to propose amendments; anything that comes out still needs ratification by 38 states.
SJR4 applies for that convention specifically to draft a term-limits amendment for Congress, but does not set a specific number of terms.
The Utah Eagle Forum, one of the state’s leading conservative organizations, is mobilizing its members to stop Stevenson’s proposal.
In a Thursday email, the group called SJR4 “dangerous,” warning it could “open the door to far-reaching changes to the U.S. Constitution beyond term limits.”
To narrow the scope, SJR4 directs that Utah’s application be “aggregated” only with states seeking a convention on term limits—an attempt to keep the call confined to a single subject.
Critics warn of a “runaway convention,” where delegates roam beyond the original purpose. Because the Constitution is silent on how such a convention operates, there’s no definitive rule that delegates can be boxed into one issue.
“Once convened, such a convention could exceed its original mandate and propose amendments that threaten core liberties and restructure our foundational law,” the Eagle Forum email warns.
Utah has been here before, most recently in 2019, when lawmakers passed a broader Article V call from Sen. Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, seeking amendments to impose “fiscal restraints,” limit federal power, and add term limits for Congress and federal officials. Stevenson’s version narrows the ask to term limits only.
This week, Kansas lawmakers approved a proposal asking Congress to convene an Article V convention on congressional term limits, making Kansas the 16th state to sign on—still well short of the 34 needed to force a convention.
SJR4 is set for debate in the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee on Friday afternoon.