Missouri senators have passed a measure calling for a constitutional convention to enact a balanced budget requirement for the federal government.
The Senate's 27-6 vote Monday sends the bill to the state House. If passed there, Missouri would join at least 27 other states that already have adopted similar measures calling for a convention to enact a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
It takes 34 states to trigger a constitutional convention. The approval of 38 states would be needed to ratify a constitutional amendment.
In addition to requiring a balanced budget, the proposed amendment would limit the federal debt and require a two-thirds vote of the U.S. House and Senate before most taxes could be raised.