Georgia CommonsSenate · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
SR 262: Article V of the United States Constitution; a convention of the states; apply
Last action March 6, 2026 · Senate Tabled
A Georgia Senate resolution would formally ask Congress to call a national convention of states under Article V of the U.S. Constitution to propose a balanced federal budget amendment.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Article V of the U.S. Constitution lets two-thirds of state legislatures apply for a convention to propose constitutional amendments, bypassing Congress as the usual proposing body. This resolution has the Georgia General Assembly formally submit such an application, limited to one subject: an amendment requiring the federal government to operate under a balanced budget, with exceptions for emergencies and national defense. The resolution states that Georgia's application should be combined with similar applications already filed by more than 30 other states so that they count together toward the two-thirds threshold needed to trigger a convention. It also declares the application ongoing until enough states join, and directs the Secretary of the Senate to send copies to congressional leaders, Georgia's members of Congress, and legislative leaders in other states.
What the bill does
- Formally applies to Congress on Georgia's behalf for a convention of the states under Article V of the U.S. Constitution.
- Limits the requested convention to one subject: proposing a federal balanced budget amendment with exceptions for emergencies and national defense.
- Directs that Georgia's application be combined with similar applications from more than 30 other states to help reach the two-thirds threshold required to call a convention.
- States that the application remains active on a continuing basis until enough states have applied on the same subject.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to send copies of the application to congressional leaders, Georgia's federal delegation, and other state legislatures.
Who it affects
This resolution primarily affects the process of amending the U.S. Constitution rather than any group directly. It involves the Georgia General Assembly, Congress, Georgia's congressional delegation, and other state legislatures whose applications would be aggregated with Georgia's.
Why it matters
If enough states pass matching applications, Congress could be required to call a convention to propose a constitutional amendment restraining federal spending. This is one of the few mechanisms besides Congress itself for amending the U.S. Constitution, so it affects how federal fiscal policy could eventually be constrained nationwide.
Key provisions
- First resolved clause applies to Congress under Article V for a convention limited to proposing a balanced budget amendment with emergency and national defense exceptions.
- Second resolved clause specifies Georgia's application should be aggregated with similarly worded applications from more than 30 named states, but not with applications on other subjects.
- Third resolved clause makes the application a continuing one that stays in effect until two-thirds of states have applied on the same subject.
- Fourth resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies to congressional officers, Georgia's federal delegation, and other states' legislative leaders.
From the bill
“the General Assembly of the State of Georgia hereby applies to Congress, under the provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the United States, for the calling of a convention of the states limited to proposing an amendment to the United States Constitution imposing fiscal restraints on the federal government”
“this application constitutes a continuing application in accordance with Article V of the Constitution of the United States until the legislatures of at least two-thirds of the several states have made applications on the same subject”
Discussed in meetings (3)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
Senate Judiciary Committee, March 2, 2026
From 0:21:59 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the resolution would apply for an Article V convention limited to a federal balanced-budget amendment, with exceptions for emergencies and national defense. The sponsor said an earlier application had expired and argued that Congress had failed to control federal spending. Addressing concerns about a convention exceeding its scope, the sponsor described Georgia's delegate instructions, recall provisions and misdemeanor penalties for violating the required oath. The sponsor also cited the requirement for ratification by three-fourths of the states. A witness for the Black Republican Council, also affiliated with Convention of States Action, supported the resolution as a way to impose fiscal discipline. One opposing witness argued that balancing a budget could mean raising taxes and that a convention could rewrite broader constitutional protections. A second opposing witness disputed Georgia's ability to control a convention and urged enforcement of the existing Constitution instead. Another witness endorsed the earlier opposition. A Common Cause Georgia witness warned that convention procedures and the enforceability of state restrictions remain uncertain, potentially exposing voting rights and other protections to change. The committee voted 5-3 to pass the resolution.
Senate Rules Committee, March 5, 2026
From 0:58:06 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said SR 262 would call for an Article V convention to pursue a balanced-budget amendment to the United States Constitution. A committee member asked whether the Senate had already passed the proposal. The sponsor said an earlier resolution passed in 2014 but expired after 10 years, requiring a new resolution. The committee unanimously included it in the floor-calendar package.
Status timeline
- Senate Tabled (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Recommitted (Senate)
- Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
- Senate Tabled (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
Show full history (9 actions)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Bill Cowsert (R, SD-46)
Topics
- constitutional convention
- balanced budget amendment
- Article V
- federal spending
- state legislature resolutions