HJR 14-CALL FOR US COUNTERMAND CONVENTION  8:14:22 AM CHAIR STOLTZE announced the consideration of HJR 14. SENATOR COGHILL moved to adopt the Senate CS for CSHJR 14(STA), version P, as the working document. CHAIR STOLTZE objected for discussion purposes. He explained that on line 6, page 1, the word "utilizing" was replaced with the word "use" and updated changes in Congress since the measure was last before the committee. He removed his objection. Seeing no further objection he announced the CS was adopted. 8:15:36 AM REPRESENTATIVE SHELLEY HUGHES, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of HJR 14, explained that HJR 14 was a single issue convention call for countermand, which means "veto." She said the countermand intent was to restore the balance between the state and federal government. She remarked that she did not see the federal government as an enemy and noted that the federal government did important things that included the country's military; however, the federal government sometimes has gone too far and just does not know what is best. She specified that HJR 14 would add a mechanism to the Constitution through the Article 5 process which would allow states to "countermand" or "veto" a federal decision that included a law passed by Congress, a regulation put in place by a federal agency, a judicial decision, or an executive order. She detailed the Article 5 process as follows: 1. 34 states are needed to call the convention. 2. States would convene at the convention and a simple majority, 26 states, would be needed to approve the amendment. 3. Approved amendment goes out to the states and 38 states would be required to ratify the amendment. 4. 30 states or three-fifths would have to agree within an 18- month period that a certain federal decision was null and void. 8:17:38 AM CHAIR STOLTZE asked Representative Hughes to explain the interplay between HJR 14 and HJR 4. REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES explained that HJR 4 was a delegate resolution that applied should 34 states call for a convention. She detailed that a delegate resolution would set the sidebars and specific instructions for the delegates' parameters to stay on the straight-and-narrow. She pointed out that the U.S. Constitution was held dear and the intent was not for the Constitution to be dismantled. CHAIR STOLTZE explained that the legislative intent was to keep the two measures traveling together. 8:19:50 AM At ease. 8:20:26 AM CHAIR STOLTZE called the committee back to order and opened public testimony. 8:20:36 AM MIKE COONS, National Legislative Director, Citizens Initiatives, Palmer, Alaska, testified in support of HJR 14. He revealed that Citizens Initiatives worked closely with Representative Hughes and Chair Stoltze in getting HJR 14 passed. SENATOR COGHILL moved to report the Senate CS for CS for HJR 14(STA) from committee with individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal note. 8:21:50 AM CHAIR STOLTZE announced that hearing no objection, SCS CSHJR 14(STA) moved from committee.