It would threaten significant economic harm, as explained below. Federal Amendment Would Prohibit "Rainy Day" Or Reserve Funds. The Alabama Constitution of 1901 has a number of amendments that call for a balanced budget. 55, and it shows both that BBAs are fundamentally flawed and that attempts to fix them invariably don’t succeed at doing that.That’s true … From there, these rather simple constitutional amendments developed into the complex systems understood (or misunderstood) as balanced budget requirements today. IMPORTANCE OF THE BUDGET PROCESS A state budget is a financial representation of the goals and objectives of elected officials.iii The budget process of a state government is the principal vehicle through which the state legislatures and governors annually allocate resources. It also would raise a host of problems for the operation of Social Security and other vital federal programs. Members of Congress have proposed almost a dozen constitutional amendments this year requiring a balanced budget, all of which share serious drawbacks. It is a plan of financial operations which includes an Fortunately, our Constitution’s framers recognized that some amendments to the Constitution would never be proposed by Congress, especially ones necessary to correct Congress’ missteps such as its creation of the 16th Amendment. Rhode Island was the first state to institute a constitutional amendment of this type. 98-671, August 5, 1998. Rep. Ben McAdams introduced the latest balanced budget amendment (BBA), H.J. A careful analysis of previously proposed Balanced Budget Amendments reveals a number of problems or loopholes, making it more appropriate to call them the Unbalanced Budget Amendments … The Senate narrowly failed today to adopt a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced Federal budget, reshaping in one stroke both the … Nineteen total states adopted similar requirements between 1842 and 1860. Most amendment proposals go further than requiring a balanced budget or budget surpluses. "All but one of the 50 states already have some form of a balanced budget amendment in their state constitutions," he said in an op-ed published in The Dallas Morning News on Dec. 1. Further, like most advocates of a constitutional convention, Governor Abbott, who proposes nine different amendments, wants to add a Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) to the Constitution. A balanced budget requirement as rigid and all-encompassing as the proposed federal amendment is not supported by state experience. Obtaining a Balanced Budget – Tax Limitation Constitutional Amendment Through the States. James V. Saturno, “A Balanced Budget Amendment Constitutional Amendment: Procedural Issues and Legislative History,” Congressional Research Service Report for Congress No. 26, which was ratified in 1993, calls for the proration of state funds when the revenues actually received are less than the obligations appropriated by the legislature and approved by … Be it resolved by the legislature of the State of {insert name}: Section 1. Amendment No. Res. The amendment would make it unconstitutional for the federal government to run annual budget deficits. Alabama. For a Convention to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment. ... ALEC’s Sourcebook of American State Legislation 1995 Amendments Approved by the ALEC Board of Directors, January 5, 2011. A balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution would be an unusual and economically dangerous way to address the nation’s long-term fiscal problems. 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