Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HJ11: Resolution supporting a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens' United
Status: Failed, May 20, 2025
What the bill says
A joint resolution of the senate and the house of representatives of the state of montana urging congress to clarify that the rights protected under the united states constitution are the rights of human beings and not the rights of corporations; providing that governments may and shall regulate campaign contributions and expenditures to protect the american people from corruption and undue or disproportionate influence in elections and government; and asking that congress propose a constitutional amendment to prove this clarification.
From the engrossed text:
A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA URGING CONGRESS TO CLARIFY THAT THE RIGHTS PROTECTED UNDER THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION ARE THE RIGHTS OF HUMAN BEINGS AND NOT THE RIGHTS OF CORPORATIONS; PROVIDING THAT GOVERNMENTS MAY AND SHALL REGULATE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FROM CORRUPTION AND UNDUE OR DISPROPORTIONATE INFLUENCE IN ELECTIONS AND GOVERNMENT; AND ASKING THAT CONGRESS PROPOSE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO PROVE THIS CLARIFICATION. WHEREAS, neither the Constitution of the United States nor any of its several amendments make any reference to corporations, unions, or other artificial, government-created entities, and the rights set forth in the Constitution of the United States and its several amendments were originally conceived as inalienable rights belonging inherently to human beings only; and WHEREAS, in a number of cases, the Supreme Court of the United States has held that the right to free speech recognized in the Constitution of the United States also belongs to corporations, unions, political action committees, and other artificial entities; and WHEREAS, the Supreme Court of the United States has also held that certain types of regulation of campaign finance impermissibly abridge the right to free speech by human beings, corporations, unions, political action committees, and other artificial entities, which limits the right of the …
Sponsors
- Stafman, Ed (D, 59) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : (H) Died in Process
- : (H) Missed Deadline for Revenue Bill Transmittal
- : (H) Motion
- : (H) 2nd Reading
- : (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
- : (H) Committee Report
- : (H) Committee Executive Action
- : (H) Hearing
- : (H) 1st Reading
- : (H) Referred to Committee
Votes
- ReconsAction - Stafman (February 19, 2025): 50 yea, 50 nay, failed
- Do Pass (February 18, 2025): 48 yea, 51 nay, failed
Subjects: General Joint Resolution, Elections, Federal Government
Common questions
- What is HJ11?
- HJ11 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Resolution supporting a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens' United.
- What does HJ11 do?
- In its own words: A joint resolution of the senate and the house of representatives of the state of montana urging congress to clarify that the rights protected under the united states constitution are the rights of human beings and not the rights of corporations; providing that governments may and shall regulate campaign contributions and expenditures to protect the american people from corruption and undue or disproportionate influence in elections and government; and asking that congress propose a constitutional amendment to prove this clarification.
- What is the status of HJ11?
- Failed as of May 20, 2025. Latest action: (H) Died in Process (May 20, 2025).
- Who sponsored HJ11?
- Stafman, Ed (D, 59).
- Where is the official record for HJ11?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2888
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.