On May 5, 2009, fourteen influential Senators and Representatives from eight states recently organized and made a Joint Announcement of passage of their respective states’ rights resolutions.  The Announcement invites governors and state representatives throughout the nation to join them in furthering the states’ rights movement on a coordinated, multi-state level of participation.

Representative Manny Steele, of South Dakota, sponsored his state’s HCR1013, which was the first states’ rights resolution to pass both the Senate and House in a state this year.  Since then, legislatures in eight other states have acted on bi-partisan support and have passed their respective resolutions to affirm states’ rights.  These are:   Alaska (HJR27), Georgia (SR632), Idaho (HJM4), Indiana (SR42), Missouri (HCR13), North Dakota (HCR3063), Oklahoma (HJR1003) and South Carolina (H3509).

Texas’ HCR50 passed committee April 23, 2009.  Sponsoring Representative Brandon Creighton expects the House to pass the resolution very shortly.  In addition, Arizona’s HCR2024 passed committee on April 14, and per Sponsoring Representative Judy Burges, it is expected to pass the House.

In their Announcement, all fourteen Senators and Representatives observe that:

Over the course of decades, there have been increasing federal mandates and acts designed to effectively step in and legislate the affairs of our various states from Washington D.C.  Federal usurpation into state affairs severely limits the ability of state governments to operate according to their citizens’ wishes.  We believe that the best government is one which governs closer to the people….  The current price of erosion of states’ rights exceeds $11 trillion.  Without the countless attempts in Washington to duplicate and micromanage our states’ affairs, much of this debt could have been avoided.

Joining Representative Steele in the Joint Announcement are:

Alaska (HJR27)                       (Mike Kelly, Dist. 7, Sponsor)
Passed House and Senate     (Gary Stevens, Senate President)

Georgia (SR632)                     (Chip Pearson, Dist. 51, Sponsor)
Passed Senate

Idaho (HJM004)                      (Lenore Barrett, Dist. 35, Sponsor)
Passed House and                   (Dick Harwood, Dist 2, Sponsor)
Senate                                          (Lawerence Denney, House Speaker)

Missouri (HCR13)                   (Jim Guest, Dist. 5, Sponsor)
Passed House

North Dakota (HCR3063)      (Craig Headland, Dist. 29, Sponsor)
Passed House and                     (David Monson, House Speaker)
Senate

Oklahoma (HJR1003)             (Randy Brogdon, Dist. 34, Sponsor)
Passed House and
Senate

South Carolina (H3509)          (Michael A. Pitts, Dist. 14, Sponsor)
Passed House; Currently in
Senate Committee

South Dakota (HCR1013)      (Manny Steele, Dist. 12, Sponsor)
Passed House and Senate        (Dennis Daugaard, Lt. Governor)
(Tim Rave, House Speaker)