HB2226 Summary

• Arizona enacts the Compact for a Balanced Budget, an interstate agreement among states to apply to Congress for a convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution to propose a balanced budget amendment.

• The balanced budget amendment would require total federal outlays not exceed total receipts unless financed by debt, with authorized debt capped at 105% of outstanding debt on the amendment's effective date and increases requiring approval by a simple majority of state legislatures.

• Establishes a Compact Commission with one member per member state (initially three unpaid commissioners) to coordinate the convention, with a Compact Administrator handling logistics and notices; funding provided by member states or voluntary donations.

• Each member state appoints three delegates (the Governor, Speaker of the House, and President of the Senate or their designees) with strictly limited authority to vote only on convention rules and the balanced budget amendment; any violation forfeits appointment.

• The convention is limited to proposing only the balanced budget amendment, requires a quorum of 26 states, uses one vote per state determined by majority of that state's delegates, and must permanently adjourn within 24 hours or upon completing its agenda; the compact terminates if the amendment is not adopted within seven years of the first state's enactment.