HB500 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Kyle South

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Lamar Co., court costs, to support canine unit in sheriffs office, Amendment 710 (Section 1, Local Amendments, Lamar County, Recompiled Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended), repealed, const. amend.

Summary

HB500 would repeal Lamar County's local constitutional amendment that allowed court costs to fund the sheriff's canine unit and ratify past actions taken under that amendment.

What This Bill Does

It repeals Amendment 710 to the Alabama Constitution (Lamar County Local Amendments) that authorized collecting court costs from misdemeanor and felony drug cases to operate and maintain the Lamar County Sheriff's Office canine unit. It ratifies and confirms any actions or payments made pursuant to Amendment 710. It requires a local election to approve the repeal, with ballot language describing the change, and the repeal would take effect once all act requirements are met.

Who It Affects

• Lamar County residents and taxpayers, who would no longer be charged court costs to fund the canine unit and would see changes in funding for that unit.
• Lamar County Sheriff's Office and its canine unit, which would lose a dedicated funding source from court costs (though past collections/payments are ratified).

Key Provisions

• Repeals Amendment 710, which authorized collection of $100 in misdemeanor drug cases and $500 in felony drug cases to fund the Lamar County Sheriff's Office canine unit.
• Ratifies, approves, validates, and confirms any actions and payments made under Amendment 710.
• Schedules a local election under Section 284.01 to vote on the proposed amendment, with ballot language describing the repeal and a Yes/No choice.

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