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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTtON AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: February 21, 2012 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 4 ~ Gt <br />SUBJECT: Consideration of Resolution Supporting an Amendment to the United States <br />Constitution to Clarify that Corporations are Not People and Money Is Not <br />Speech _ <br />DEPARTMENT: Board of Commissioners PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S)• INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Comments and Suggested Resolution Donna Baker, Clerk to the Board, 245- <br />Submitted by Move to Amend 2130 <br />Draft Resolution Bernadette Pelissier, Board Chair, 245- <br />2130 <br />Pete Brown, Triangle Move to Amend, <br />919-260-2398 <br />PURPOSE: To consider adopting a Resolution to Amend the United States Constitution to <br />Clarify that Corporations are Not People and Money Is Not Speech. <br />BACKGROUND: At the Board's January 24, 2012 regular meeting, members of the Triangle <br />Move to Amend petitioned the Board of Commissioners to adopt a resolution in support of a <br />Constitutional Amendment to undo the harm of the Supreme Court's January 21, 2010 Citizens <br />United decision. <br />With its January 21, 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission, the U.S. <br />Supreme Court ruled that corporations are persons and that campaign donations are the same <br />as free speech with regard to elections. Triangle Move to Amend rejects the U.S. Supreme <br />Court's ruling in Citizens United and proposes that the Board of Commissioners adopt a <br />resolution supporting an amendment to the US Constitution to firmly establish that money is not <br />speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights. <br />The group's representatives encouraged the Board to join with other jurisdictions across the <br />nation in resolving in favor of amending the US Constitution to undo the impact of the Supreme <br />Court's Citizens United decision and do so as close to the anniversary of that infamous decision <br />as possible. <br />The comments and suggested resolution as submitted by Move to Amend prior to and at the <br />meeting are attached. Staff has also provided a draft resolution for Board consideration. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with consideration of the <br />resolution. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board consider the attached <br />Resolution and, if approved, authorize the Chair to sign the resolution. <br />