HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 9
(By Delegates Poore, Marshall, Guthrie, Walker and Moore)



Calling upon the United States Congress to propose a constitutional amendment overturning the United States Supreme Court's Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling and related cases.
   Whereas, In 2010, the United States Supreme Court issued its ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission that enabled corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money to influence the outcome of our elections; and
   Whereas, A subsequent ruling Speechnow.org v. Federal Election Commission, opened the door for individual donors to spend unlimited amounts as well; and
   Whereas, The use of so-called Super PACs by wealthy individuals and special interests nationally has driven up the cost of elections to over $6 billion in the federal elections alone and reduced local voices in the democratic process; and
   Whereas, In 2012, based upon Citizens United, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a century old long-standing Montana campaign finance law, denying states the right to regulate their elections in accordance with their experience of the corrupting influence of money in politics; and
   Whereas, The people of West Virginia and all other states should have the power to limit by law the influence of money in their political systems; and
   Whereas, On Election Day, 2012, over six million voters across the United States had the opportunity to vote on state and local ballot measures, including the states of Montana and Colorado, calling for a constitutional amendment to limit money in politics, including the entire states of Montana and Colorado, and all proposed resolutions passed with overwhelming and bipartisan support, averaging seventy-five percent of voters in favor; therefore, be it
   Resolved by the House of Delegates:
   That the West Virginia House of Delegates supports an amendment to the United States Constitution to establish that corporations are not entitled to the same rights and protection as natural persons under the Constitution; and, be it
   Further Resolved, That such an amendment should assure the power of the federal, state, and local governments to limit, regulate, and require disclosure of sources of all money spent to influence elections; and, be it
   Further Resolved, That the West Virginia House of Delegates requests that the West Virginia Congressional Delegation support such an amendment, work diligently towards its passage, and vote at all stages to advance such legislation in the Congress; and, be it
   Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the West Virginia House of Delegates deliver a copy of this resolution to the Vice President of the United States and the President pro tempore of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority and Minority Leaders of both Houses of Congress, and to each United States Senator and Member of the House of Representatives from West Virginia.