HB255 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Steve ClouseRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to add Section 284.02, to require local constitutional amendments to be advertised prior to introduction.

Summary

HB255 would require local constitutional amendments to be advertised on the affected community's website for four weeks before they can be introduced in the Alabama Legislature.

What This Bill Does

It adds a new constitutional requirement (Section 284.02) that local constitutional amendments be published prominently on the county or subdivision's website for four consecutive weeks before introduction, with proof of notice sent to the appropriate House or Senate clerk. It also requires the Code Commissioner to number and place the amendment in the Constitution after ratification and allows minor non-substantive revisions. Additionally, the bill provides for an election process to approve the amendment, with the ballot description explaining the change.

Who It Affects

• Local counties or political subdivisions affected by local constitutional amendments must publish the amendment on their website for four weeks before introduction.
• Voters in those local areas will decide whether to approve the amendment in an election, with the ballot describing the change.

Key Provisions

• Adds Section 284.02 to require four weeks of prominent online publication on the affected county or subdivision's website before introducing any local constitutional amendment; proof of notice must be provided to the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate.
• Local constitutional amendments may not be passed unless the online publication and notice requirement are met before introduction.
• Upon ratification, the Code Commissioner shall number and place the amendment in the Constitution and may perform nonsubstantive revisions (style, capitalization, spelling, punctuation, and cross-references).
• An election to approve the amendment will be held under Sections 284 and 285 and the state’s election laws, with a ballot description of the proposed amendment.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Local Constitutional Amendments, require advertising four consecutive weeks on local government website