HB42 Alabama 2016 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Ken Johnson

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2016

Title

Article V constitutional convention, compact to set convention to require Congress to balance the budget, adopted

Summary

This bill adopts the Compact for a Balanced Budget to push for an Article V constitutional convention limited to a balanced-budget amendment for Congress.

What This Bill Does

It adopts the Compact for Balanced Budget and creates a framework to recruit states, coordinate the process, and convene an Article V convention. It establishes a Compact Commission and a Compact Administrator to manage membership, funding, notices, and convention logistics. It defines the Balanced Budget Amendment and sets debt, spending, and tax rules, along with delegate rules, convention procedures, and ratification/termination conditions.

Who It Affects

• Alabama state government and its residents, who would enact, fund, and operate the Compact, appoint delegates, and be bound by its terms.
• Other states and the U.S. Congress, who would participate in the Compact, potentially join the convention, and consider or ratify the Balanced Budget Amendment.

Key Provisions

• Adopts the Compact for a Balanced Budget to facilitate an Article V convention focused only on proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA).
• Creates membership rules, withdrawal terms, a Compact Commission, and a Compact Administrator to promote the Compact and coordinate its obligations; details funding and notices.
• Defines the Balanced Budget Amendment with specific limits on outlays, a debt cap process requiring state approval for increases, impoundment if debt nears the limit, and a two-thirds approval requirement for new general revenue taxes (with exemptions).
• Gives each Member State three delegates (Speaker of the House, Governor, and a jointly appointed minority-leader delegate) with oath, recall/removal, and authority limited to the Convention and the BBA; delegates may not hold other public office while serving.
• Limits the Convention to considering and voting on the Balanced Budget Amendment; sets voting, quorum, agenda, records access, and procedural rules; requires adherence to Convention Rules and provides for ultra vires prohibitions.
• Specifies venue, notice, and enforcement provisions, including open records, and grants enforcement power to state law enforcement; designates Dallas, Texas as the default convention venue and Northern District of Texas as the exclusive federal venue.
• Provides termination provisions: the Compact ends if the BBA is not ratified within seven years after the first state passes the Compact, with dissolution and a continuing resolution mechanism that survives termination for ratified states.

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