Plan to take “racist, outdated language” from Alabama’s Constitution moves forward

A plan to reorganize the Alabama’s 121-year-old constitution and delete outdated, annulled, and racist sections moved forward today in the Legislature.

The Alabama House approved on a 94-0 vote a resolution to allow voters to decide om whether to adopt a proposed Alabama Constitution of 2022. The question will go on the ballot in November if the Senate approves the resolution.

Today’s vote in the House was the latest step in a process that’s been in the works for three years. The purpose of the move is to make Alabama’s Constitution of 1901, which has been amended 977 times, easier to read, use, and understand.

Voters approved an amendment in November 2020 to authorize the recompilation. That amendment came from legislation sponsored by Rep. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, in 2019.

The amendment limited any changes in the constitution to five categories: Arranging the constitution in proper articles, parts, and sections; Removing racist language; Deleting duplicated and repealed provisions; Consolidating provisions regarding economic development; Arranging all local amendments by county of application.

After voters authorized the process to go forward, the Legislature last year passed a resolution to create a 10-member committee to collaborate with the Legislative Services Agency on recompiling the constitution with the above changes. The committee held public meetings and accepted public comments.

Along with efforts to make the document more readable and understandable, three sections were changed to repeal racist language. Such language includes: “Separate schools shall be provided for white and colored children, and no child of either race shall be permitted to attend a school of the other race.”