Joint resolution calling for convention of the states to require a balanced budget
Summary
SJ 4 is a joint resolution by the Montana Legislature applying for an Article V convention of the states for the limited purpose of proposing a federal constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget. The resolution states that the convention would be confined to fiscal restraints, specifically barring federal outlays from exceeding estimated federal revenues in the absence of a national emergency, and allowing related and appropriate fiscal restraints. It also declares the application to be continuing until enough states have made similar applications on the same subject.
The resolution is framed as a response to the federal debt, deficit spending, and interest costs, which the bill describes as an unsustainable fiscal crisis. If adopted, it would not directly change Montana tax or spending laws, but it would formally commit the state to seeking a national constitutional amendment and direct the Secretary of State to transmit the application to federal officials and other states. Its practical legal effect would be to add Montana to the list of states seeking an Article V convention on balanced-budget terms.
The general sentiment reflected in the bill text is strongly supportive of fiscal restraint and skeptical of Congress’s ability to address the national debt. However, the voting history shows the measure did not advance: it narrowly passed the Senate Judiciary Committee 5-4, then failed on a second-reading pass motion 23-27 before being indefinitely postponed 35-15. That pattern suggests the proposal had a meaningful base of support but ultimately lacked enough votes to move forward.
The main point of contention is the use of an Article V convention, which some lawmakers may view as a necessary tool to force federal fiscal discipline while others may see as risky or unnecessary. The debate also likely centered on whether a balanced-budget amendment would be effective, whether the convention could be reliably limited to a single subject, and whether the federal debt situation justified this extraordinary constitutional mechanism. The bill’s opponents appear to have prevailed in the floor votes, leading to its defeat in process.
Impact
SJ 4 would not amend Montana statutes directly, but it would place the state on record as applying for an Article V convention limited to a balanced federal budget amendment and related fiscal restraints. It would also require the Secretary of State to send the application to Congress, Montana’s congressional delegation, and other state legislatures, thereby creating an official interstate application for a constitutional convention on this subject.
Sentiment
The bill’s text and sponsor framing are strongly pro-balanced-budget and anti-deficit, emphasizing the national debt as a fiscal emergency. Committee and floor action show some support but ultimately insufficient backing for passage, with the measure failing on the Senate floor and then being indefinitely postponed. Overall, the sentiment appears mixed-to-negative in the chamber, with supporters advocating fiscal discipline and opponents or undecided members not persuaded to advance the resolution.
Contention
The central controversy is whether Montana should join an Article V convention effort, a step some lawmakers may consider an appropriate response to federal debt while others may regard as constitutionally uncertain or politically dangerous. Additional points of contention include the effectiveness of a balanced-budget amendment, the meaning of the resolution’s limitation to a single subject, and whether the convention process could be controlled once convened. The close committee vote and later floor defeat indicate that these concerns were significant enough to block the resolution despite a strong rhetorical case for fiscal restraint.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION calling on the United States Congress to submit to the states for ratification a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution and making a formal application to Congress under Article V of the United States Constitution to call a convention for the sole purpose of proposing for ratification an amendment to the United States Constitution which requires a balanced federal budget.
Applies to Congress for Article V Convention of States to require balanced federal budget, impose term limits, and revise method of awarding electoral votes.