Constitution of Alabama

For the previous Constitution of Alabama, see Alabama Constitution of 1901.

The Constitution of the State of Alabama is the basic governing document of the U.S. state of Alabama. It was adopted in 2022 and is Alabama's seventh state constitution.

History

Alabama has had seven constitutions to date, all but the current one established via State Conventions: 1819 (converting Alabama Territory into a State), 1861 (Secession), 1865 (Reconstruction), 1868 (Reconstruction), 1875 (ending Reconstruction), 1901 (Jim Crow) and the current document, adopted in 2022.[1][2] Governor Kay Ivey formally proclaimed the new constitution to be in effect on Monday, November 28, 2022, shortly after the state's election results were certified.[3]

Recompilation of the Alabama Constitution of 1901

The current Alabama Constitution is a recompilation of the Alabama Constitution of 1901. The recompilation had five objectives, as follows:[4]

  • arranging it in proper articles, parts, and sections;
  • removing all racist language (examples of racist language being removed included Section 102 of Article IV of the former Constitution, which forbade "marriage between any white person and a Negro, or descendant of a negro".[5]);
  • deleting duplicative and repealed provisions;
  • consolidating provisions regarding economic development; and
  • arranging all local amendments by county of application.

General overview

The Alabama Constitution, in common with all other state constitutions, defines a tripartite government organized under a presidential system. Executive power is vested in the Governor of Alabama, legislative power in the Alabama State Legislature (bicameral, composed of the Alabama House of Representatives and Alabama Senate), and judicial power in the Judiciary of Alabama. Direct, partisan, secret, and free elections are provided for filling all branches.[citation needed]

Even after the recompilation and removal of obsolete, duplicative, and overtly racist provisions, the constitution is still the longest in America, more than three times the length of the Constitution of Texas.[6] And many of the issues which have plagued the 1901 Constitution still apply: mainly the heavy centralization of power at the state level over local issues[7] and a large part of the tax code (both at the state and local levels) written into the constitution itself.

References

  1. ^ An Overview of Alabama's Six Constitutions, Alabama Legislature, retrieved 28 December 2024
  2. ^ staff, AL com (November 8, 2022). "Election results for proposed amendments to Alabama's Constitution on Nov. 8, 2022". al.
  3. ^ Monger | 11.29.22, Craig. "Alabama officially certifies results of November midterms". 1819 News.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Cason, Mike (March 3, 2022). "Alabama Constitution of 2022 appears to be headed for voters in November". al.
  5. ^ Dunavant, Gary (September 19, 2021). "Alabama Begins Removing Racist Language From Its Constitution".
  6. ^ https://parcalabama.org/introduction-to-parcas-series-on-the-constitution-of-2022/
  7. ^ As an example, 37 entire pages are devoted solely to issues involving Mobile County, Alabama.

https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/constitution


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