March 4, 2022
Contact: Scott Tillman, U.S. Term Limits
Phone: (321) 345-7455
stillman@termlimits.com
Kentucky State Rep. Shane Baker Honored for Term Limits Support
Frankfort, KY — Kentucky’s state Representative Shane Baker (district 85) was honored with a plaque for his support of term limits on Congress. U.S. Term Limits Regional Director, Aaron Dukette, presented the distinction to Rep. Baker at the Kentucky capitol.
The “Champion of Term Limits” wood plaque reads, “In recognition of a steadfast commitment to restore citizen government through term limits.” Baker pledged to support house joint resolution 17 (HJR17). The convention bill does not set the specific length of term limits, rather, it starts a discussion among the states on what the ideal term limits of Congressmembers should be.
Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, the states are the only government entity empowered to amend the Constitution. In this situation, Congress would have a conflict of interest to propose term limits on itself. Recognizing this, the founders assured the states could both propose and ratify amendments without the approval of Congress. HJR17 leverages this power so the states may act in the best interest of the people.
Sponsored by Rep. William Lawrence in the Kentucky state house, the measure’s summary reads, “House Joint Resolution 17 applies to the United States Congress for a Convention of the States to propose an amendment to the United States Constitution to impose term limits on members of Congress.”
HJR17 must be approved by the state senate and state house in order for Kentucky to be counted in the states calling for a term limits convention.
According to a 2018 poll of voters in the state conducted by McLaughlin & Associates, term limits enjoy wide bipartisan support. In Kentucky 82% of Republicans, 85% of Democrats, and 96% of independents strongly approve of placing term limits on members of Congress.
There are three members of Congress from the Kentucky delegation, who have signed USTL’s term limits pledge.
Once the amendment is proposed by either Congress or the states at a national convention, it must be ratified by 38 states in order to become part of the U.S. Constitution.
View Baker’s signed pledge here.
###
___________________________________
U.S. Term Limits is the largest grassroots term limits advocacy group in the country. We connect term limits supporters with their legislators and work to pass term limits on all elected officials, particularly on the U.S. Congress. Find out more at termlimits.org.