States findings of the Legislature and makes three separate applications to the United States Congress to call a convention of the states under Article V of the Constitution of the United States.
Summary
House Concurrent Resolution 10 is an Article V application by the Idaho Legislature asking Congress to call a convention of the states for three related purposes. First, it seeks a convention limited to proposing a balanced budget amendment requiring federal outlays not to exceed estimated revenues except in a national emergency. Second, it seeks a convention to propose amendments imposing fiscal restraints on the federal government, limiting federal power and jurisdiction, and limiting the terms of office for federal officials and members of Congress. Third, it seeks a convention to propose term limits for U.S. House and Senate members.
The resolution also declares these applications to be continuing applications until enough states join the same subject matter or until December 31, 2031, whichever comes first, and directs the Idaho Secretary of State to transmit copies to federal officials and other state legislatures. It expressly supersedes prior Idaho applications on the same subjects and is framed as a formal legislative finding about federal overreach, debt, and the role of states under Article V.
Impact
HCR010 does not change Idaho statutory law or create new state regulatory requirements; instead, it is a concurrent resolution that functions as a formal application to Congress under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. Its legal effect is to add Idaho’s support to efforts to trigger a convention of the states on three specified topics: balanced-budget/fiscal restraint, federal power limitation, and congressional term limits. It also updates Idaho’s prior applications by making them continuing through 2031 and superseding earlier applications on the same subjects.
Sentiment
The resolution appears to have been supported by a substantial minority but not a majority of the House, as reflected in the 26-44 third-reading vote. The bill text itself is strongly supportive of the convention-of-states concept, emphasizing federal debt, mandates, and constitutional limits on federal power. No committee transcript is available, but the recorded vote suggests the measure was controversial and did not command broad bipartisan support.
Contention
The main points of contention are the use of an Article V convention, the scope of federal fiscal restraints, and term limits for members of Congress. Supporters frame the resolution as a way to curb federal overreach, reduce debt, and restore constitutional limits, while opponents likely objected to the convention mechanism itself, the potential breadth of a convention once called, and the policy merits of balanced-budget requirements and term limits. The narrow subject-specific applications and the attempt to make them continuing through 2031 also reflect concern about how the applications would be counted and aggregated.
Applying to the Congress of the United States to call a convention under Article V of the United States Constitution for the limited purpose of proposing one or more amendments to the constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and to limit the terms of office of federal officials and members of Congress.
Applying to the Congress of the United States to call a convention under Article V of the United States Constitution for the limited purpose of proposing one or more amendments to the constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and to limit the terms of office of federal officials and members of Congress.
Proposing An Amendment To Article Xvii, Section 3 Of The Hawaii Constitution To Specify That The Standard For Voter Approval Of A Constitutional Amendment Proposed By The Legislature Is A Majority Of All The Votes Tallied Upon The Question.
Proposing An Amendment To Article Xvii, Section 3 Of The Hawaii Constitution To Specify That The Standard For Voter Approval Of A Constitutional Amendment Proposed By The Legislature Is A Majority Of All The Votes Tallied Upon The Question.
Proposing An Amendment To Article Xvii, Section 3 Of The Hawaii State Constitution To Specify That The Standard For Voter Approval Of A Constitutional Amendment Proposed By The Legislature Is A Majority Of All The Votes Tallied Upon The Question.