SHOW OUR STRENGTH IN NUMBERS!

In April , the ACCR Foundation will launch our Strength in Numbers Campaign that was developed by Amanda Lybrand. We are asking constitutional reform advocates to donate $7 for our 7th Constitution to help raise funds to support our education inititaives.

If you would like to help with this campaign, please contact Amanda: Amanda@constitutionALreform.org or (205) 213-1818.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?

Breaking News!!!!
Two bills are now in the Legislature calling for a constitutional convention for Alabama.
One is HB 308 sponsored by Speaker Pro Tem Demetrius Newton and 18 of his colleagues from both sides of the aisle. The other is SB 243 sponsored by Senator Ted Little and 15 of his colleagues from both sides of the aisle. This is historic because it is the largest number of co-sponsors this movement has ever seen and it is a real non-partisan effort at reform.
If the legislators pass these bills this Legislative Session, voters will vote to approve or reject the bill in June of 2010, the same time as the Alabama Gubernatorial Primary Election. Then if the voters pass the bill, the delegates will be elected the following November at the Gubernatorial Election.
This means there will be more than two years to get the message out to the public that a constitutional convention is in their best interest.
Our job right now is to contact our representatives and senators and ask them to vote in favor of SB 243 and HB 308.   learn more »

HERE'S WHAT THE MEDIA IS SAYING...

Alabama House panel votes for plan to let voters decide whether to call a convention to draft a new state constitution
The Birmingham News
Thursday, March 06, 2008
DAVID WHITE
News staff writer

MONTGOMERY - State voters would decide whether to call a convention to draft a new state constitution, under a plan that took an early step toward approval Wednesday.

The Constitution and Elections Committee of the state House of Representatives voted 9-4 for the proposal. Democrats voted for it. Republicans opposed it.

State Rep. Demetrius Newton, D-Birmingham, sponsored House Bill 308 and said he hopes the full House will vote on it within three weeks.

Newton, the second-ranking House member, tried but failed the past two years to get the House to pass a convention bill. "I hope we have the votes this year," Newton said.

If his bill is approved by at least 53 of the 105 House members and at least 18 of the 35 senators, state voters would decide in June 2010 whether to call a convention.
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Seeing the 'groundswell'
Anniston Star
Editorials
In our opinion
02-29-2008

Alabama is locked in convention detention, a prison saying the right thing and doing the right thing are miles apart.

Amid considerable fanfare and high expectations, a bill has been introduced in the state Legislature to allow Alabamians to decide, by vote, if we should hold a convention to rewrite the state's antiquated and inadequate Constitution.

Once again, legislators lined up to testify about their belief in the will of the people — and how the only way the people's will could be known was to let the people vote on such issues.

As you can expect, that's when the back-peddling began. Listen closely and you can hear how legislators can turn democracy on its head.
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Annexations? Look a little deeper
The Huntsville Times
Sunday, February 24, 2008

A newspaper prides itself on reporting issues in its community. In many cases, nobody else covers what we cover - local city councils, the county commissions, the Alabama Legislature.

And not everyone who reads the paper pays attention to the details. I think that's what is happening with regard to a proposal before the Legislature to keep outside cities - namely, Huntsville and Madison, but Decatur, too - from annexing land in Limestone County without the voters in that county having the final say.
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STUDENT NEWS

The road to reform
Insight from the Anniston Star
By Jeanne Cross
Special to The Star
04-29-2007

The college experience ushers in many rites of passage necessary before a checkbook-balancing, grocery-buying, apartment-owning “adult” can be produced.

Roadtrips are one such rite of passage, and they are arguably one of the most revered experiences of college. Whether Waffle House or Panama City, college students always are looking for a good excuse to get behind the wheel where the rubber meets the road.

On Wednesday, however, I had the opportunity to be a part of a different type of roadtrip. This one was to Montgomery for reform of Alabama's 1901 Constitution. For a college student, the prospect of a roadtrip takes precedence over attending class any day; however, there was more than just missing class lectures motivating students from across the state, including myself, to trade our backpacks for banners.
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A journey to progress
Insight from the Anniston Star
By Portia Shepherd
Special to The Star
04-29-2007

Wednesday morning started with an anxious group of black college students arriving in Montgomery after a 90-minute bus ride from Miles College.

After arriving on the Capitol steps the students and I went to greet staffers from Greater Birmingham Ministries, an ecumenical nonprofit involved in constitutional reform.

Later, the Miles students went to meet senators before a noon rally in support of a new state Constitution. Entering the Statehouse was like a dream since none of us had ever been inside.
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Students push for constitutional reform
The Birmingham News
Thursday, April 26, 2007

KIM CHANDLER
News staff writer

MONTGOMERY - University students rallied on the steps on the Alabama Capitol Wednesday telling lawmakers they want to be the last young people to come of age with a Jim Crow-era state constitution.

About 120 students gathered for the rally sponsored by the College Council for Constitutional Reform and Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform.
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© 2007
Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform
P.O.Box 10746, Birmingham, AL 35202-0746
205-540-7501
accr@constitutionalreform.org