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Senate sponsor and witnesses debate how Missouri should choose delegates if an Article V convention is called
Summary
Sen. Curtis Trent introduced SB 1119 to set procedures for selecting Missouri's delegates to a potential Article V convention; witnesses Bren and Rosendo Martinez and Brett Storley testified in support while Arnie A.C. Dynoff opposed legislative appointment and urged direct election of delegates.
Senator Curtis Trent (Senate District 20) told the House Committee on General Laws that SB 1119 establishes neutral, mechanical guardrails for selecting Missouri's delegates should an Article V convention be called, and he asked the committee to put those procedures in place now rather than react later.
"What we want to do here is set forth the parameters around which the general assembly would select and control their delegates to a convention, should it be called," Sen. Trent said, emphasizing qualifications and oversight measures the bill would provide.
In public testimony, Rosendo Martinez, who identified himself as a volunteer commission liaison, urged support for SB 1119 and said he sought the measure for future generations. "I'm 83 years of age ... I do it for my 9 my 9 my my 9 grandchildren," Martinez said as he asked the committee to back the commission-selection approach.
Brett Storley, who said he serves as state director for Commission of States Action in Missouri, described how the bill's process would work: legislative leaders would appoint a search committee that identifies three candidates and three alternates from every federal congressional district; the legislature would then select one commissioner and one alternate for each district, producing a full state delegation and retaining oversight through recall procedures if commissioners exceed their instructions. "That committee will remain standing to be a resource for the commissioners ... If a commissioner discusses anything outside the bounds of the resolution calling that convention of states meeting, then that committee can recall that commissioner," Storley said.
Opposing testimony came from Arnie A.C. Dynoff, who said he supported a convention in principle but strongly opposed leaving selection to the legislature. He urged that delegates be elected by voters in each congressional district to prevent what he described as appointment by "people like to buy power." "These delegates should be elected by the will of the voters," Dynoff said.
The committee accepted no additional testimony and closed the public hearing on SB 1119.
The hearing produced a mix of procedural details and competing views about democratic selection: sponsors and allied witnesses argued for a legislature-led selection process with oversight, while at least one witness argued the positions should be elected by the public.
