By Mike Cason
Alabama’s 1901 Constitution was aimed at keeping blacks and poor whites from voting and achieved the framers’ intent.
Voters can have their voices heard on a proposed Alabama Constitution of 2022 in November.
Gov. Kay Ivey has signed the resolution passed by the Legislature to send the recompiled constitution to the ballot for the general election, Communications Director Gina Maiola said today.
Ivey’s signature is the latest step in a bipartisan effort in the works for three years to reorganize the Alabama Constitution of 1901, which has been amended almost 1,000 times. The goal is to make it easier to read and understand and to remove racist sections and duplicative sections.
The project started with legislation by Rep. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, in 2019, seeking authorization for the recompilation. The bill limited changes limited to five categories:
- Arranging the constitution in proper articles, parts, and sections
- Removing racist language
- Deleting duplicated and repealed provisions
- Consolidating provisions regarding economic development
- Arranging all local amendments by county of application
Voters approved Coleman’s amendment by a two-to-one margin in November 2020, authorizing the recompilation.
Since then, the Legislative Services Agency, with guidance from a 10-member committee and comments from the public, has compiled the new constitution. It can be found on the agency’s website, along with more information about how the process has worked.
The project is the culmination of the work of Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform, a citizens movement started in 2000.
