State Sen. Jim Buck (R-Kokomo) today announced his plans to introduce a resolution during the 2021 legislative session to call for a convention of the states under Article V of the U.S. Constitution.
The resolution would propose the convention for the purpose of introducing a Constitutional amendment that would permanently set the number of justices of theU.S. Supreme Court at nine.
“There have been recent threats at the federal level of packing the U.S. Supreme Court,” Buck said. “The highest court in the land should be fully equipped with nine justices, no matter the circumstances as it is a critical part of our country’s checks and balances system. By amending the U.S. Constitution, we can ensure a political battle won’t occur in Congress concerning the size of the Supreme Court every time there is an opening on the court.”
Through statute, the number of Supreme Court Justices is set by Congress, and has been changed several times in the nation’s history. For more than 150 years, however, the number of justices has remained the same at nine.
Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, an amendment shall be proposed whenever two-thirds of both chambers of Congress deem it necessary, or when two-thirds of states call a convention for proposing amendments.