Legislative History and Current Bills Related to the Constitution Convention

The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical look at the legislative history of Article VII (now Article XIV). Specifically, it will discuss the events leading up to the 1894 Constitutional Convention (the convention was Article XIV and the “Forever Wild Provision” was adopted); the events and legislative acts between the 1894 and 1915 constitutional conventions; the 1915 Constitutional Convention; the events and legislative acts between 1915 and 1938; and the 1938 Constitutional Convention. The paper will also address the delegate election process, as well as proposed reforms to the process. It is the intention of this paper to present the historical and present importance of the Forest Preserve, as well as the importance of the delegate electoral process to the outcome of the constitutional convention