SR 262: Article V of the United States Constitution; a convention of the states; apply

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.

• 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.

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.

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.

• 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.

1. 2026-03-06Senate Tabled (Senate)
2. 2026-03-03Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
3. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senate)
4. 2026-01-12Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
5. 2025-03-06Senate Tabled (Senate)
6. 2025-03-04Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
7. 2025-03-03Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
8. 2025-02-26Senate Read and Referred (Senate)

• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)Primary sponsor

• constitutional convention
• balanced budget amendment
• Article V
• federal spending
• state legislature resolutions