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House rescinds earlier call for a national constitutional convention, adopts amendment affirming support for balanced budget amendment
Summary
After hours of debate and an adopted amendment, the Utah House passed a resolution rescinding the state's prior application for a constitutional convention while affirming continued support for a balanced budget amendment; the amended resolution passed 60–10 and was transmitted to the Senate.
The Utah House on Feb. 15 voted to rescind a prior legislative call for a national constitutional convention — a step sponsor Representative Hunter said was intended to avoid the open-ended risks of a convention while continuing to press for a balanced budget amendment.
Representative Hunter introduced the resolution and argued that a constitutional convention’s agenda could not be controlled; Representative Stevens offered an amendment clarifying that rescission should not be read as diminishing Utah’s support for a balanced-budget amendment to Congress. The House adopted the Stevens amendment (unanimously in the recorded vote on the amendment) and then debated the amended resolution at length; supporters cited constitutional risks and the need to pressure Congress by other means.
Representative Hunter closed with a historical warning attributed to James Madison and urged passage. On final vote the Clerk reported 60 affirmative and 10 negative votes; the resolution was referred to the Senate for its consideration.
The debate included procedural amendments (including a clerk/house-secretary wording fix) and at least one proposed change to the Stevens amendment that was discussed but not adopted. Members across the floor spoke on philosophical and pragmatic grounds for rescinding the call while preserving advocacy for a balanced federal budget.
