Both chambers of the Oklahoma legislature are preparing the state for a constitutional convention.
The Senate Rules Committee passed Sen. Rob Standridge’s bill to establish how delegates would be selected.
"Two delegates will be appointed by majority vote of the House of Representatives, and two will be appointed by majority vote of the Senate," Standridge said. "And one shall be appointed by receiving a majority vote of all members elected."
The bill passed 8–5. Standridge assured committee members other states can’t pull a fast one by sending more delegates.
"Even within Article V, suffrage of the states is protected," Standridge said. "In the Annapolis convention, the constitutional convention and the other many conventions that occurred at that time, it was one state, one vote."
A resolution asking the U.S. Congress for a convention passed 7–6. A House committee passed a similar resolution 8–2.
Sen. Nathan Dahm was among the nay votes on the Senate resolution.
"I hate to use the term 'runaway convention' because that kind of has a negative connotation, but there are concerns that it could go in a different direction than what we want, that things could be changed," Dahm said.
The resolutions will go before their full chambers next. So far, 25 out of 34 states required have called for a convention to add a balanced budget amendment.
