FREE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS TO H.C.R. 2022
(Reference to Senate engrossed House resolution)
Page 1, before line 1, insert:
"Whereas, Article V of the Constitution of the United States provides that on receipt of applications from two-thirds of the legislatures of the several states, Congress shall call a convention of the states for proposing amendments; and"
Line 5, strike the period insert "; and
Whereas, it appears that two-thirds of the states soon will have applied for a convention limited to proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to add a requirement that the federal government balance its budget; and
Whereas, in its call, Congress will be required to specify an initial time and place for the meeting of such a convention for proposing amendments; and
Whereas, it is appropriate for the state legislatures to prepare for the convention and to recommend to Congress an initial time and place for the convention; and
Whereas, a convention of the states called by a state legislature and consisting of commissioners authorized by other state legislatures can be an effective way of considering and recommending solutions to common problems."
Strike lines 27 through 34
Page 2, lines 3 and 4, strike "the Nashville Balanced Budget Amendment Planning Convention, which will convene in July of 2017" insert "any planning convention"
Page 2, line 12, strike "the Nashville" insert "any planning"
Page 3, after line 38, insert:
"13. That commissioners and alternates may not solicit or accept a contribution or a promise to make a contribution for a campaign for the state legislature beginning on the commencement of the convention and ending on adjournment of the convention.
14. That the State of Arizona respectfully calls a planning convention of the states, consisting of commissioners chosen and authorized in the manner that each respective state legislature determines or, if no manner is determined by a state legislature, selected jointly by the majority leadership of each legislative chamber of that state, to convene initially at twelve o'clock noon on September 12, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona for the limited purposes of:
(a) Planning for, and recommending rules for and procedures to, the prospective convention for proposing a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution.
(b) Recommending to Congress:
(i) The criteria for determining the initial date and location of a convention for proposing a balanced budget amendment.
(ii) A specific initial date and location of a convention for proposing a balanced budget amendment.
15. That the planning convention shall be called to order jointly by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate of the State of Arizona, followed immediately by a roll call of the states. The planning convention shall immediately elect a permanent presiding officer by a majority vote of the states attending and voting under the parliamentary common law as modified by procedures traditionally followed by conventions of states, including the rule of one vote per state. The planning convention shall continue to operate under the traditional procedures until such time as the planning convention adopts its own rules.
16. That the Legislature of the State of Arizona recognizes that a convention of states determines its own rules and procedures and elects its own officers. In the interests of efficiency and consistency, however, the Legislature of the State of Arizona recommends to the planning convention that the permanent rules contain certain principles traditionally followed by conventions of states, including the following principles:
(a) A quorum for all sessions of the full convention shall be a majority of the states attending and for all committee meetings shall be a majority of the members of the relevant committee.
(b) All voting shall be by state with each state having one vote, without apportionment or division, and each state legislature or delegation shall determine the internal voting and quorum rules for casting the vote of its delegation.
(c) A majority vote of the states attending and voting shall prevail on all issues before the planning convention and in all committees, including any convention recommendations.
(d) Convention officers shall include at least a president, vice president and secretary.
17. That the Legislature of the State of Arizona further recommends to the planning convention that:
(a) The planning convention adopt Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure, 2010 edition, as the source for the rules of decision in all cases not otherwise provided for by convention rules and orders.
(b) The planning convention include at least the following three standing committees that are composed of a commissioner from each state attending, with each committee to be chaired by a temporary presiding officer designated by the balanced budget amendment convention committee until the committee selects its own officers:
(i) A committee on rules and procedures, which shall prepare for consideration by the planning convention recommended rules and procedures for a convention for proposing a balanced budget amendment.
(ii) A committee on time and location, which, after hearing testimony, shall prepare for consideration by the planning convention a recommended time and location for a convention for proposing a balanced budget amendment.
(iii) A committee on convention management, which shall prepare for consideration by the planning convention recommended facilities, meeting rooms, security and staffing and other management issues pertaining to a convention for proposing a balanced budget amendment.
18. That in order to secure the advantage of continuity, the Legislature of the State of Arizona respectfully recommends to each state legislature that the same commissioners be sent both to the planning convention and to the convention for proposing a balanced budget amendment, if practicable and advisable to do so.
19. That an Arizona balanced budget amendment planning convention committee is established consisting of three members of the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona who are appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona and three members of the Senate of the State of Arizona who are appointed by the President of the Senate of the State of Arizona. The Arizona balanced budget amendment planning convention committee, if necessary, may change the time, date and location of the planning convention and, if necessary, may appoint a temporary president and temporary presiding officers of the standing committees. The Arizona balanced budget amendment planning convention committee shall coordinate the logistics of the planning convention, including the facilities, meeting rooms, security, staffing and other management issues pertaining to the planning convention. The longest‑serving legislative member of the Arizona balanced budget amendment planning convention committee shall call the first meeting of the committee, at which time the committee shall elect a chair. The members of the Arizona balanced budget amendment planning convention committee shall not be paid per diem for days on which the committee meets, unless the members would otherwise earn per diem for legislative duties other than those of the Arizona balanced budget amendment planning convention committee.
20. That the legislative body of each of the several states is urged to provide for the appointment of commissioners to attend the planning convention and to otherwise provide further cooperation and assistance.
21. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona shall transmit a copy of this resolution to the presiding officer of each legislative body in the several states."
Amend title to conform
HCR2022FCC.docx
HCR2022FCC2
03/29/2017
6:34 PM
H: rca