The 2025 Senate Joint Resolution 38 proposes an advisory referendum to be placed on the November 2026 ballot, asking Wisconsin voters whether Congress should propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. F.E.C. This landmark ruling established that corporations are considered persons in terms of political speech, allowing them to make unlimited expenditures in political campaigns. The resolution aims to address concerns about the influence of money in politics and seeks to ensure that all Americans have an equal voice in the democratic process.
The proposed amendment would clarify that only human beings possess constitutional rights, excluding corporations, unions, and other artificial entities, and would assert that money does not equate to speech. By gathering public opinion on this issue, the resolution seeks to mobilize Wisconsin's congressional delegation and the state legislature to support the proposed constitutional amendment, thereby potentially reversing the implications of the Citizens United decision and limiting the financial influence in elections.