Since our founding in 2000, we have been educating citizens and the legislature on the need for constitutional reform. Since 2004 and for the following next four years, we worked for a citizens’ convention (a constitutional convention) to rewrite the entire Constitution.
in 2008 we came the closest to achieving that goal.
Two bills were in the 2008 Legislature calling for a constitutional convention for Alabama. One was HB 308 sponsored by the late Speaker Pro Tem Demetrius Newton and 18 of his colleagues from both sides of the aisle. The other was SB 243 sponsored by Senator Ted Little and 15 of his colleagues from both sides of the aisle.
But the Legislature failed to pass them.
WHERE REFORM STANDS NOW:
Former Chief Justice, Senator Howell Heflin was successful in passing a constitutional amendment to replace the Judicial Article in 1973.
In 2012, the Articles on Banking and on Corporations were amended, to be updated.
In 2016, constitutional amendments did the following:
Article VII, Impeachment revised which elected officers can be impeached.
Article III, Distribution of Powers, renamed the three forms of government as Branches.
Article IV, Legislative Article, changed the way a local constitutional amendment is approved by voters. First a vote is taken in the Legislature, on the merits of the amendment, and then a second vote is taken on whether it should be voted by local citizens or by a statewide vote.
Then finally, a constitutional amendment was passed to allow limited Home Rule to counties. It does not include zoning or taxing, but does allow counties to do what most municipalities do. If the county wishes to take some action, they must publicize that action to the public before taking the action.
In 2019, a constitutional amendment was passed by the Legislature, without a single negative vote, to remove the racist language from the 1901 Constitution through recompilation. If the voters approve this in NOVEMBER of 2020, Alabama Legislative Services will recompile the Constitution to remove the racist language and any duplication, but change no other words. The document then must go again to the Legislature for approval and to the people for their vote in 2022. The recompiled document will appear on the Secretary of State’s website for voters to view before they vote.
In 2022, voters approved the amendment and so we have the Constitution of 2022! It removed all racist language, moved all of the move than 900 amendments into the Sections they amend and provided a new governing constitution to Alabama! Read The Alabama Constitution.
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