# Rights Permanence Amendment

## Summary

The Rights Permanence Amendment guarantees that once rights are recognized, they cannot be arbitrarily stripped away. To address past rights rollbacks, this amendment establishes a Rollback Review Framework: every rollback is reviewed for cause, and the remedy depends on the reason it occurred. Politically motivated or bad-faith rollbacks are automatically reversed and reinstated with minimal congressional action, while legitimate corrections (such as dismantling discriminatory laws) are preserved.

## Full Text (Draft)

**Section 1. Irrevocability of Rights**

No right recognized under this Constitution, by statute, or by judicial interpretation shall be repealed, diminished, or nullified, except through the process established in Section 3 of this Article.

**Section 2. Scope of Protection**

The rights protected under this Article include, but are not limited to:
(a) Rights explicitly enumerated in this Constitution and its amendments;
(b) Rights recognized by the Supreme Court as fundamental or constitutional in nature;
(c) Statutory rights that have been in continuous effect for twenty years or more.

**Section 3. Rollback Review Framework**

(a) **Classification of Rollbacks.** Any action by Congress, the Executive, or the Judiciary that diminishes or eliminates a previously recognized right shall be classified by the Independent Review Panel as:
   (1) An Improper Rollback, if motivated by partisan interest, achieved through procedural manipulation, or representing a reversal of long-standing precedent without substantial new evidence;
   (2) A Proper Rollback, if the action corrects a discriminatory law, removes an unjust privilege, or expands liberty;
   (3) A Contested Rollback, if the action presents genuine ambiguity, reflects evolving circumstances, or is supported by substantial new evidence.

(b) **Remedies.**
   (1) Improper Rollbacks shall be automatically reinstated. Congress shall codify the reinstated right by simple majority within one year. Only a two-thirds supermajority of both Houses may block reinstatement.
   (2) Proper Rollbacks shall be sustained.
   (3) Contested Rollbacks shall be referred to a public ratification process requiring a two-thirds supermajority of Congress or a national referendum with majority approval.

**Section 4. Independent Review Panel**

The Independent Review Panel shall be established within the Fourth Branch of Government, composed of nine members serving staggered twelve-year terms, appointed through a process ensuring independence from political influence.

**Section 5. Enforcement**

Congress shall have power to enforce this Article by appropriate legislation.

## Notes

- This amendment works in conjunction with the Rights Permanence Amendment whitepaper (3.1), which provides detailed rationale, examples, and implementation guidance.
- The Rollback Review Framework is designed to be both protective and flexible, preventing politically motivated erosion while allowing legitimate legal evolution.