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SD Legislature Calls For Balanced Federal Budget Amendment

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota Legislature has approved a proposal that calls for a convention to amend the U.S. Constitution to require a balanced federal budget.

The South Dakota Senate voted 19-13 on Tuesday to approve the resolution, which was previously passed in the House.

South Dakota joins 24 other states calling for a constitutional convention.

Republican Sen. Ernie Otten says his proposal would help address America’s mounting national debt.

Opponents argue the convention could backfire and be used to rewrite many parts of the Constitution.

Otten says a separate bill the Senate passed on Tuesday addresses those concerns. The proposal would restrict a South Dakota convention representative from voting for unauthorized amendments.

It takes 34 states to trigger a convention and 38 states to approve an amendment.