SB274 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Linda Coleman-MadisonSenator

Democrat

Co-Sponsors

Vivian Davis FiguresPriscilla DunnBobby D. SingletonWilliam “Bill” M. Beasley

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Local constitutional amendments, adoption procedure by Legislature revised, three negative votes in Senate and nine in House to require local amendment to be voted on statewide, Amendments 425 and 555, Constitution of Alabama of 1901, repealed, const. amend.

Summary

SB274 repeals the old local-amendment rules and creates a revised process where a local constitutional amendment can be forced to statewide voting if there is any disagreement about whether it affects only one county.

What This Bill Does

The bill repeals Amendments 425 and 555 and adds a new Section 284.01 to govern local constitutional amendments. It requires the Legislature to determine whether a proposed amendment affects only one county or subdivision; if it does, it can be adopted locally only with a three-fifths vote in both chambers and a majority vote by the Local Constitutional Amendment Commission, and then it is placed on the ballot only in the affected county. If the Legislature does not determine that it affects only one county, the amendment must go to a statewide vote. If there is any dissent about whether it affects only one county after the required three-fifths approvals, the amendment will automatically be submitted in a statewide referendum and must be approved by a statewide majority and by a majority in any affected county or subdivision.

Who It Affects

• Residents of the county or counties named in a local amendment would vote on that amendment if it is deemed local; if not, statewide voters would vote in a statewide referendum.
• State legislators (Senate and House) and the Local Constitutional Amendment Commission would determine whether an amendment is local or statewide, apply the three-fifths voting threshold, and manage the ballot process.

Key Provisions

• Amendments 425 and 555 to the Constitution of Alabama are repealed and replaced by new Section 284.01 in Article XVIII.
• If an amendment is determined to affect only one county or a subdivision, it shall be adopted locally only by a majority of the qualified electors in the affected county (and applicable county or counties) voting on the amendment, with the process requiring at least a three-fifths vote in the originating house and a non-dissenting determination by both houses that it is local.
• If there is any dissent about whether the amendment is local, it must be submitted to a statewide referendum, and it shall not become effective unless approved by a statewide majority and a majority of voters in each named county or subdivision.
• Election procedures, including notice, ballot description, and ballot language, are specified to implement either local or statewide voting as determined.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Constitutional Amendments