Forum: Amending the Constitution

The U.S. Constitution is one of the few remaining symbols that unifies our increasingly divided nation. In 236 years, the Constitution has been amended only 27 times. It is purposely difficult to do. Each of the 27 amendments followed the same process: 2/3 of each chamber in congress proposed changes and 3/4s of the states ratified those proposals. 

But there is another way to change the Constitution, one that has never been used before. An Article V constitutional convention imagines that state legislatures propose changes to the document. It requires at least 34 states to petition for a convention. 

This year, interest groups have identified Idaho as a state that might petition for a constitutional convention, and it is likely that the Idaho Legislature will introduce a resolution to do so. 

Join City Club for a discussion of the merits of a constitutional convention and whether Idaho should join or reject that effort.

Speakers:

• Representative Ilana Rubel, House Minority Leader, 5^th term Legislator from Boise
• McKay Cunningham, director of on-campus experiential learning at the College of Idaho, where he also teaches Constitutional Law
• Chuck Malloy, longtime Idaho journalist and columnist

Moderator: City Club Board member Latonia Haney Keith, College of Idaho

Where: Idaho State Museum

When: Thursday, February 15, 2024 from 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 pm

Tickets:

$15 Members registration (includes water, coffee, iced tea, and/or canned beverages as available at venue)

• Add lunch: $16

$25 Non-Members registration  (includes water, coffee, iced tea, and/or canned beverages as available at venue)

• Add lunch: $16

$400 Reserved Table for 8 guests

Lunch registration closes 2/11/2024 at 5:00 p.m.

City Club thanks our Annual Sponsor University of Idaho, Boise, and the 2024 Forum Series sponsors: AARP of Idaho,  Idaho Education Association, SelectHealth, and Small Mine Development. Our media partners are Boise State Public Radio and Idaho Public Television. The Osher Lifetime Learning Institute is our Community Partner. This program is made possible in part by a grant from the Idaho Humanities Council, the state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

If you have any questions, call 208-364-4614 and staff can assist you.