SB414 Alabama 2015 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

High Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Gerald H. AllenSenator
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2015
Title: Article V constitutional convention, compact to set convention to require Congress to balance the budget, adopted
Summary: SB414 would join Alabama to the Compact for a Balanced Budget to push for a Balanced Budget Amendment through an Article V constitutional convention, with specific rules for membership, delegates, and convention procedures.
What This Bill Does
It adopts the Compact for a Balanced Budget and sets up how Alabama would pursue the Balanced Budget Amendment through an Article V convention. It creates rules for joining and leaving the compact and establishes a Compact Commission to promote the compact and coordinate responsibilities. It specifies which Alabama officials would serve as delegates, outlines their duties and limits, and describes how the convention would be run and how the amendment would be considered and transmitted for ratification. It also defines the amendment’s key fiscal limits and enforcement mechanisms and provides a timetable that could end the compact if the amendment isn’t enacted within seven years.

Who It Affects
Alabama state government and legislators: must enact the compact, adhere to its terms, and appoint Alabama's three convention delegates (Speaker of the House, Governor, and a minority-leaders appointee).
Alabama's delegates and their authority: operate under strict rules, take an oath, and must follow the convention framework; they cannot hold other public office while serving and can be recalled or replaced for cause.
taxpayers and the general public: potential changes to federal budget rules (balanced budget, debt limits, and tax provisions) could affect federal finances and budget-related policy.
legal and enforcement bodies: the Compact Commission and Compact Administrator oversee compliance, with specified venues and procedures for disputes and enforcement.

Key Provisions
The bill adopts the Compact for a Balanced Budget binding Alabama to pursue a Balanced Budget Amendment through Article V and to be bound by its terms.
Defines the Balanced Budget Amendment as requiring that federal outlays not exceed receipts, with debt increases needing state-approved authorization and specific debt rules.
Creates the Compact Commission and Compact Administrator to promote the compact, coordinate obligations, organize the convention, and handle notices and enforcement.
Establishes membership rules, withdrawal conditions, and how a state becomes a Member State and maintains status, including notice requirements among states.
Sets convention rules: Alabama would have three delegates (Speaker, Governor, and a minority-leaders appointee), one-state-one-vote framework, oath, term limits, and authority strictly limited to the balanced budget agenda.
Limits the convention to the Balanced Budget Amendment, requires transparency and public records for proceedings, and sets a venue and dispute-resolution framework, plus termination provisions if the amendment is not adopted within seven years.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: U. S. Constitution