HB 1429 Summary

• North Dakota enacts and agrees to be bound by the Compact for a Balanced Budget, which is an interstate agreement among states to propose a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution through an Article V convention.

• The compact becomes operative when at least three-fourths of states adopt substantially identical legislation; it establishes a compact commission with one member per state to coordinate activities and appoint a compact administrator.

• The compact specifies the proposed Balanced Budget Amendment text, which limits federal outlays to receipts unless financed by authorized debt, restricts new revenue taxes to those approved by two-thirds of Congress, and requires presidential impoundment enforcement when debt approaches limits.

• Delegates from member states are limited to introducing, debating, and voting solely on the Balanced Budget Amendment at the convention, with strict procedural rules using Robert's Rules of Order and security measures to prevent any ultra vires actions or alternative amendments.

• The compact automatically terminates on or before April 12, 2031, if the Balanced Budget Amendment is not ratified, with the commission dissolving within 90 days and the compact becoming void.