2024 24LSO-0093
STATE OF WYOMING
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. HJ0002
Political expenditures.
Sponsored by: Joint Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Interim Committee
A JOINT RESOLUTION
for
1 A JOINT RESOLUTION requesting Congress to propose a
2 constitutional amendment identifying the source of political
3 contributions as specified.
4
5 WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court has ruled that
6 Congress and the states lack authority to ban independent
7 corporate expenditures to political campaigns for public
8 office, relying on the concept that the spending of money to
9 elect a candidate is protected speech; and
10
11 WHEREAS, this United States Supreme Court precedent has
12 allowed the creation of super political action committees in
13 campaigns for public office, which super political action
14 committees have made unprecedented campaign expenditures
15 whose source cannot be readily traced to natural persons; and
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2 WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of Wyoming has grave
3 concerns that corporations, unions and organizations have
4 abilities not enjoyed by natural persons including perpetual
5 life and enhanced accumulation of assets, which may enable
6 these entities to financially overwhelm individual natural
7 persons in the political process; and
8
9 WHEREAS, Congress, state legislatures and local legislative
10 bodies should have the authority to require the
11 identification of campaign expenditures and to limit
12 expenditures by entities that are not natural persons; and
13
14 WHEREAS, a constitutional amendment would control over United
15 States Supreme Court precedent interpreting the United States
16 Constitution.
17
18 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE
19 LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING:
20
21 Section 1. That the Legislature of the State of Wyoming
22 respectfully urges the Congress of the United States to
23 propose and send to the states for ratification an amendment
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1 to the United States Constitution to allow the public
2 identification of the source of political contributions or
3 expenditures for or against any candidate and to limit or
4 prohibit corporations and other entities that are not natural
5 persons from making campaign contributions for or against any
6 candidate. Political expenditures by organizations that are
7 comprised of natural persons and that publicly identify their
8 members and donors should not be restricted.
9
10 Section 2. That the Secretary of State of Wyoming
11 transmit copies of this resolution to the President of the
12 United States, to the President of the Senate and the Speaker
13 of the House of Representatives of the United States Congress
14 and to the Wyoming Congressional Delegation.
15
16 (END)
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