HB302 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jamie KielRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Statewide Constitutional Amendment, to grant school lands in Fayette and Walker Co.s to Franklin Co. Board of Education.

Summary

HB302 would amend the Alabama Constitution to transfer exclusive management of certain sixteenth section and indemnity lands from the state to the Franklin County Board of Education for the Franklin County School System in Fayette and Walker Counties.

What This Bill Does

It would vest all sixteenth section and indemnity lands owned in fee simple by the Franklin County School System, located in Fayette County and Walker County, for the exclusive use of Franklin County Schools in the Franklin County Board of Education to manage, sell, lease, and control the land and any timber, minerals, or other natural resources. Proceeds from the sale or lease of the land or its resources would be paid to the Franklin County Board of Education and deposited into its General Fund. The amendment would supersede conflicting constitutional provisions, and after ratification the Code Commissioner would place the amendment in the constitution and may perform nonsubstantive revisions. Proceeds realized from dispositions before ratification and held in trust by the State would continue to be held in trust and paid to the Franklin County Board of Education after ratification.

Who It Affects

• Franklin County School System and Franklin County Board of Education — gain exclusive ownership/management authority over the specified lands and would receive the proceeds from any land activities.
• Franklin County students and local residents (through the Franklin County Board of Education General Fund) — potential changes in school funding and resources funded by land proceeds.

Key Provisions

• Vest all sixteenth section and indemnity lands owned in fee simple by the Franklin County School System (located in Fayette and Walker Counties) in the Franklin County Board of Education, giving the board authority to manage, sell, lease, and control the land and its natural resources.
• Proceeds from timber, minerals, or other natural resource sales, or from leasing/sale of the land or its resources, shall be paid to the Franklin County Board of Education and deposited into its General Fund.
• The amendment is intended to supersede any constitutional provisions that conflict with these changes regarding the land, rights, power, control, and disposition of the land and its resources and any proceeds therefrom.
• Upon ratification, proceeds from pre-ratification dispositions held in trust by the State shall continue to be held in trust and paid to the Franklin County Board of Education; the Code Commissioner will place the amendment in the constitution and may make nonsubstantive revisions.

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

Subjects

Constitutional Amendments Statewide; Education