Idaho Senate panel approve call to amend US Constitution

An Idaho Senate panel has narrowly approved a proposal calling for a constitutional amendment to limit federal government spending power.

The Senate State Affairs spent more than two hours on Friday listening to public testimony on a proposal calling for a convention of states to propose a federal balanced budget requirement.

It’s a topic that has failed to take hold in the Idaho Legislature in the past after being stymied by legislative leaders. However, with Republicans controlling the majority of state legislatures, Congress and the White House, the idea has once resurfaced with full force and is becoming one of the hot button subjects of this year’s legislative session.

Either 34 states or two-thirds of both houses of Congress can call for a constitutional amendment. Thirty-eight states have to approve amendments.