HB328/SB275 - Constitution, Legislature authorized to recompile constitution and submit at 2022 Reg. Sess., and provide for its ratification, const. amend.Sponsor(s):
HB328: Representatives Coleman, McCutcheon, Hollis, Rafferty, Bracy, Alexander, Drummond, Moore (M), Rogers, McClammy, Clarke, Gray, Jackson, Warren, Hill and Wadsworth (Constitutional Amendment)
SB275: Senators Smitherman, Marsh, Singleton and Orr
Synopsis and Analysis: This bill would propose an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to authorize the Legislature to recompile the Alabama Constitution during the 2022 Regular Session, and provide for its ratification.
If passed by vote of the legislature and vote of the people, this amendment would remove racist language, redundancy and duplication in the Constitution of Alabama of 1901. The bill only targets racist language and does not address the Education Article as was the case for a similar bill that failed in 2012.
League Action and Justification: Support. The League of Women Voters believes in diversity, equality, and inclusion in principle and in practice. Racism has no place in society or in the laws that govern. Although the League of Women Voters of Alabama supports a convention of citizens for the purpose of rewriting the state constitution rather than by the legislature, we believe that this legislation should be passed in order to eliminate the shameful racist language of the 1901 Constitution of Alabama.
Bill Progress in Legislature
Go here to get more information about HB328 and changes in the bill as it progresses through the legislature.
| Calendar Date | Body | Amd/Sub | Matter | Committee | Nay | Yea | Abstain | Vote |
| 04/03/2019 | H | Read for the first time and referred to the House of Representatives committee on Constitution, Campaigns and Elections | CC&E | | | | | |
04/11/2019 | H | Read for the second time and placed on the calendar | | | | | | |
04/25/2019 | H | Third Reading Passed | | | | | | |
04/25/2019 | H | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass adopted Roll Call 386 | | | | | Roll 386 | |
04/25/2019 | H | Cosponsors Added | | | | | ||
04/25/2019 | H | Lipscomb intended to vote "Yea" | | | | | | |
04/25/2019 | S | Read for the first time and referred to the Senate committee on Governmental Affairs | GA | | | | | |
05/07/2019 | S | Read for the second time and placed on the calendar | | 0 | 7 | 0 | | |
05/23/2019 | S | Third Reading Passed | | | | | | |
05/23/2019 | S | 201293-1 | Smitherman Amendment Offered | | | | | |
05/23/2019 | S | Smitherman motion to Adopt adopted Roll Call 1108 | | | | | Roll 1108 | |
05/23/2019 | S | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass adopted Roll Call 1109 | | | | | Roll 1109 | |
05/23/2019 | H | Concurrence Requested | | | | | | |
05/23/2019 | H | Wilcox motion to Concur In and Adopt adopted Roll Call 1056 | | | | | Roll 1056 | |
05/23/2019 | H | Enrolled | | | | | | |
05/28/2019 | S | Concurred in Second House Amendment | | | | | | |
05/28/2019 | S | Signature Requested | | | | | | |
05/28/2019 | H | Clerk of the House Certification | | | | | | |
| H | Assigned Act No. 2019-271. | | | | | | |
| H | Delivered to Secretary of State at 3:48 p.m. on May 28, 2019. | | | | | |
NOTE: HB328 Call to Action issued 4/10/19. Read the HB328 Action Alert.
SB275 is on the House Government Affairs agenda on Tues., 4/23/19 at 1:00 p.m., Rm. 825. There is no public hearing scheduled.
UPDATE 4/25/19: HB328 Call to Action issued 4/10/19 is cancelled. HB328 passed the House on 4/25/19. Now in Senate committee on Government Affairs.
UPDATE 5/7/19: HB328 passed out of the Senate Committee on Government Affairs and is now in Senate Rules Committee pending placement on the Senate Special Order Calendar. If/when that happens, the full Senate will vote on the bill. Sen. Jabo Waggoner is chair of the Senate Rules Committee.
UPDATE 5/23/19: HB328 has now passed the Senate unanimously. Bill has passed both houses and will be on ballot in November 2020 as a constitutional amendment proposition.
UPDATE 5/28/19: Concurrence by both houses. HB328 delivered to the Secretary of State.
Go here to get more information about SB275 and changes in the bill as it progresses through the legislature.
| Calendar Date | Body | Amd/Sub | Matter | Committee | Nay | Yea | Abstain | Vote |
| 04/11/2019 | S | Read for the first time and referred to the Senate committee on Governmental Affairs | GA | | | | | |
04/23/2019 | S | Read for the second time and placed on the calendar | | 0 | 8 | 0 | | |
| S | Pending third reading on day 13 Favorable from Governmental Affairs | | | | |
Contact information for legislators and committees that might be referenced in this bill:
Representatives Representatives Phone Directory Standing House Committees
Senators Senators Phone Directory Standing Senate Committees
Find my legislators