Alabama State Constitution of 1901/Amendments 701-800

Amendment 701 ratified
Promotion of Industry, Trade, and Economic Development in Randolph County.

The Legislature, by general, local, or special law, may provide for the creation, incorporation, organization, operation, administration, authority, and financing of a public corporation empowered or intended to assist or aid in any way Randolph County or any municipality therein in promoting industry, trade, and economic development of Randolph County and each municipality situated in the county, and the Legislature may grant the corporation all powers, rights, privileges, exemptions, and authority as the Legislature considers necessary or desirable for the furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes of the public corporation.

Amendment 702 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Russell County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No person elected or appointed sheriff, or any elected or appointed Russell County official, may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every sheriff and elected or appointed Russell County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Russell County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office; provided, however, the official shall forego the assumption of a supernumerary office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 703 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Tallapoosa County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No person elected or appointed sheriff, or any elected or appointed Tallapoosa County official, may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every sheriff and elected or appointed Tallapoosa County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Tallapoosa County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office; provided, however, the official shall forego the assumption of a supernumerary office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 704 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Chilton County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No person elected or appointed Sheriff of Chilton County, or any elected or appointed Chilton County official, may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every sheriff and other elected or appointed Chilton County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Chilton County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office; provided, however, the official shall forego the assumption of a supernumerary office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed county official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit. All costs associated with the purchase of prior service credit as prescribed in Section 36-27-6.1, Code of Alabama 1975, shall be the responsibility of the official making the purchase.

Amendment 705 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Marion County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No person elected or appointed Sheriff of Marion County, or any elected or appointed Marion County official, may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every sheriff and other elected or appointed Marion County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Marion County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office; provided, however, the official shall forego the assumption of a supernumerary office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include any person elected to represent Marion County in any representative body of the state and includes any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed Marion County official. The words do not include a judge, district attorney, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit. All costs associated with the purchase of prior service credit as prescribed in Section 36-27-6.1, Code of Alabama 1975, shall be the responsibility of the official making the purchase.

Amendment 706 ratified
Education First Amendment

Section I. This amendment shall be entitled the "Education First Amendment."

Section II. As used in this amendment, the following terms shall be given the following respective meanings:

(1) "Motor Fuel Tax" means a privilege or license tax levied upon every person, firm, or corporation selling, delivering, or withdrawing from storage or keeping in storage for sale or delivery in the county, any gasoline, naphtha, or other liquid motor fuels, or any device or substitutes therefor, commonly used in internal combustion engines, including diesel oil, tractor fuel, gas oil, distillate or liquefied gas, kerosene, jet fuel, or any substitutes or devices therefor, when sold, distributed, stored, or withdrawn from storage in the corporate limits of the City of Mobile and the City of Prichard for use in the operation of any motor vehicle upon the highways, but not including "kerosene oil," "fuel oil," or "crude oil" commonly used for lighting, heating, or industrial purposes, in an amount equal to two cents ($.02) per gallon sold, delivered, withdrawn from storage, or kept in storage for sale or delivery. Provided, however, that the fuel tax herein provided for shall not be levied or paid on the sale of such motor fuels in interstate commerce, or to the federal government or any agency of the federal government, or to the State of Alabama, or to any incorporated municipality for municipal purposes, or to the county commission for county purposes, or to the board of school commissioners for the use or purposes of such board, or for use in operating or propelling tractors used exclusively for agricultural purposes, or for use in operating or propelling commercial fishing boats, or to such motor fuels which are withdrawn from storage for delivery only to a point or points outside the county, when the distributor or seller of such motor fuels prepares and files with the revenue commissioner of the county written statements sworn and subscribed to showing the name and address of the person and to whom such motor fuels are or have been delivered by the distributor or seller, the volume and kind of such motor fuels and the dates of such withdrawals, and the point or points outside the county to which the motor fuels are delivered, or are to be delivered. Where any excise tax which may be levied hereby upon the sale, use, distribution, storage, or withdrawal from storage of such motor fuels shall have been paid to the revenue commissioner of the county by any person, firm, or corporation, such payment shall be sufficient, the intent being that the tax shall be paid but once.

(2) "Property Tax" means an ad valorem tax on the value of taxable property, as assessed for state taxation during the preceding tax year; provided, however, that such tax shall not be levied and assessed against any private passenger automobiles or motor trucks of the type commonly known as "pickups" or "pickup trucks" owned and operated by an individual for personal or private use and not for hire, rent, or compensation.

(3) "Sales and Use Tax" means a privilege or license tax levied on account of business activities, in an amount determined by application of applicable rates against gross sales or gross receipts, or an excise tax on storage, use, or other consumption of tangible personal property, as the case may be, which shall parallel, except for the rate of the tax, the state sales and use taxes levied pursuant to Chapter 23, Title 40, of the Code of Alabama 1975, as the same may be amended from time to time; provided, that in the event of the repeal of the statutes imposing the state sales and use taxes, the sales and use tax levied hereunder shall apply to and be imposed upon every person upon whom, had it not been for such repeal, the state sales and use taxes would have been levied.

Section III. In addition to all other taxes now or hereafter authorized by the Constitution and laws of Alabama, there is hereby levied and shall be collected a tax, the proceeds of which shall be used exclusively for public school purposes in Mobile County, including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of and interest on bonds, warrants, or other evidences of indebtedness issued for public school purposes. The taxes levied hereunder shall be determined as provided in Section 4 of this amendment and shall be:

(1) With respect to the areas of Mobile County within the corporate limits of the Cities of Mobile and Prichard, either (but not both) of the following:

a. a property tax at the rate of 12 mills on each $1 on property located within the corporate limits of the City of Mobile and the City of Prichard in Mobile County; or

b. a property tax at the rate of 8 mills on each $1 on all property located within the corporate limits of the City of Mobile and the City of Prichard in Mobile County and an additional motor fuel tax in such jurisdictions at the rate of two cents ($.02) per gallon.

(2) With respect to the areas of Mobile County outside the corporate limits of the Cities of Mobile and Prichard, either (but not both) of the following:

a. a property tax at the rate of 12 mills on each $1 on property located outside the corporate limits of the City of Mobile and the City of Prichard in Mobile County; or

b. a property tax at the rate of 4 mills on each $1 on all property located outside the corporate limits of the City of Mobile and the City of Prichard in Mobile County and a sales and use tax at the rate of one-half percent (.5%) on account of business activities in areas of Mobile County outside the City of Mobile and the City of Prichard.

Section IV. The taxes levied hereunder shall be determined by referendum to be held in Mobile County simultaneously with the referendum on the approval of this amendment. The question shall be submitted to the qualified voters of Mobile County, in a referendum separate from and in a position on the ballot immediately following the proposition on the approval of this amendment, in the following form:

Question (1) "If the Education First Amendment is approved by the voters, which of the following taxes to be levied for public school purposes do you favor? Vote for one.

"___ FOR a property tax at the rate of 12 mills on each $1 on all property located within the corporate limits of the City of Mobile and the City of Prichard in Mobile County; or

"___ FOR a property tax at the rate of eight mills on each $1 on all property located within the corporate limits of the City of Mobile and the City of Prichard in Mobile County and an additional motor fuel tax at the rate of two cents ($.02) per gallon in those jurisdictions."

The foregoing question shall be submitted to and voted on only by the electors residing in the Cities of Mobile and Prichard in Mobile County.

Question (2) "If the Education First Amendment is approved by the voters, which of the following taxes to be levied for public school purposes do you favor? Vote for one.

"___ FOR a property tax at the rate of 12 mills on each $1 on all property located outside the corporate limits of the City of Mobile and the City of Prichard in Mobile County; or

"___ FOR a sales and use tax at the rate of one-half percent (.5%) in all areas located outside the corporate limits of the Cities of Mobile and Prichard in Mobile County and a special ad valorem tax at the rate of four mills on each $1 on property located in all areas of the county outside the corporate limits of the Cities of Mobile and Prichard."

The foregoing question shall be submitted to and voted on only by the electors residing in areas outside the corporate limits of the Cities of Mobile and Prichard in Mobile County.

The taxes shall be levied upon approval of this amendment and in accordance with the results of the referenda provided for in this section. Failure of a person to vote on such question shall not affect the vote of that person on the question of the approval of this amendment. Likewise, the vote cast or the failure of a voter to vote on the approval of this amendment shall not affect his or her vote on the foregoing questions.

The judge of probate shall develop the two separate ballots to be submitted to each group of voters.

Section V. Any property tax levied hereby shall be levied each year, without limit as to time, effective with the tax year commencing October 1, 2000, which tax is due and payable October 1, 2001; provided, that if this amendment is approved and proclaimed ratified later than September 30, 2001, it shall be effective with the first tax year as to which taxes become payable after the date it is proclaimed ratified. Except as to the exemption from such tax as provided in Section 2, such tax shall be assessed and collected in the same manner as all other ad valorem taxes with respect to property in Mobile County. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any property annexed into the corporate limits of the City of Mobile or the City of Prichard shall not be subject to the 12-mill or eight-mill additional ad valorem tax levied pursuant to the proposition in question (1) in Section 4 for a period of five years after annexation. During that five years, such property shall be subject to the same amount of ad valorem tax as is levied on property located outside the corporate limits of the City of Mobile and the City of Prichard.

Section VI. Any sales and use tax levied hereby shall be without limit as to time and shall be effective at the beginning of the third month following the month in which this amendment is proclaimed ratified. Any sales and use tax levied hereunder shall be administered and collected by the governing body of Mobile County or by such other officials to whom such duties may be delegated by the governing body of Mobile County from time to time. Any procedure or provision involving the State Department of Revenue which is incorporated herein by reference to the statutes imposing the state sales and use taxes shall be deemed to apply, with respect to the sales and use tax levied hereby, to the officer charged with the duty of administering and collecting such tax by the governing body of Mobile County. The governing body of Mobile County is hereby authorized to take such action as shall be necessary and appropriate to provide for the administration and collection of any sales and use tax levied hereby, including, without limitation, provisions for the making of returns or reports, the contents of returns or reports, collection and payment of taxes, keeping of records, penalties, assessments, and notices and examinations of taxpayers and their books, but all such provisions shall be parallel to the corresponding procedures with respect to the state sales and use taxes to the extent practicable. The proceeds of such tax, net of costs of collection, shall be paid to the Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County or its successors.

Section VII. Any motor fuel tax levied hereby shall be effective at the beginning of the third month following the month in which this amendment is proclaimed ratified.

Section VIII. The provisions of this amendment shall be self-executing, and authorization from or any other action by the Legislature or the governing body of Mobile County shall not be a prerequisite to the levy or collection of the taxes provided for herein or the use of the proceeds thereof for public school purposes in Mobile County.

Section IX. The actions and authority conferred by this constitutional amendment, specifically including, without limitation, the tax or taxes levied hereby and the method of determining the tax or taxes to be levied, are in all things validated and confirmed, any provision or provisions of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, or any other laws of the state to the contrary notwithstanding, and to the extent that the provisions of this amendment may be inconsistent with provisions of any other provision or provisions of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, or any other laws of the state, the provisions of this amendment shall control.

Amendment 707 ratified
Home Rule in Shelby County.

Section 1. Home rule.

(a) Except as herein provided, the Shelby County Commission may adopt ordinances, resolutions, or regulations relating to its property, affairs, and county government for which no provision has been made by general law and which is not inconsistent with this Constitution or any local law enacted by the Alabama Legislature. Notwithstanding the general grant of power in the preceding sentence, the Shelby County Commission may not establish or levy any new tax or raise revenue except as authorized by this constitution or by general or local law enacted by the Legislature of the State of Alabama.

(b) The Shelby County Commission may fix the salary, compensation, expenses, and other benefits and terms of employment of those employed by the Shelby County Commission except for those subject to the jurisdiction of the Shelby County Law Enforcement Personnel Board, and establish and maintain retirement or pension systems, insurance, workers' compensation, hospitalization, and medical benefits for those employees. The Shelby County Commission shall employ a county manager and other professional staff as it deems appropriate to be authorized and directed to perform any applicable management and administrative function associated with the management of county property and services.

Section 2. Supplementary powers.

(a) The Shelby County Commission, in addition to, and supplementary of, all powers possessed by or conferred upon Shelby County or otherwise provided by general law, may by ordinance or resolution exercise the following powers, provide and regulate the following services, activities, programs, and facilities related thereto, and establish and provide for civil penalties for violation of its ordinances, rules, and regulations applicable thereto:

(1) Police and fire protection.

(2) Garbage and solid waste collection and disposal.

(3) Public health facilities and services, including hospitals, ambulance and emergency rescue services, and control of dangerous animals and animal nuisances.

(4) Public street and road construction and maintenance, including curbs, sidewalks, street lights, and devices to control the flow of traffic.

(5) Parks, recreational areas, programs, and facilities.

(6) Storm water and sanitary sewage collection and disposal systems.

(7) Development, storage, treatment, purification, and distribution of water.

(8) Public housing, public buildings, and parking facilities.

(9) Public transportation.

(10) Libraries, archives, and arts and sciences programs and facilities.

(11) Economic development and tourism initiatives, developments, and projects.

(12) Adoption of codes, including building, housing, plumbing, and electrical codes for the protection of the public.

(13) Litter, trash, and rubbish regulation and control on or adjacent to public roads, streets, or highways, or on or in public buildings, public parks, and public properties.

(b) Unless otherwise provided by an act of the Legislature in effect upon ratification of this amendment or unless otherwise provided by general law, Shelby County may not exercise any of the powers listed in subsection (a) or provide any service listed therein inside the corporate limits of any municipality or within any other territory in which a municipality or an instrumentality of a municipality is authorized by an act of the Legislature to exercise the power or provide those services, or within any other county, except by contract with the municipality, municipal instrumentality, or county affected.

Section 3. Eminent domain.

The Shelby County Commission may exercise the power of eminent domain as is authorized by general law.

Section 4. Liability.

The Legislature may waive or limit the liability of Shelby County by law.

Section 5. Debt limitation.

The debt incurred by Shelby County, including debt incurred on behalf of any special district, may never exceed 10 percent of the assessed value of all taxable property within Shelby County.

Section 6. The Legislature of the State of Alabama, by local law, may provide criminal penalties for violations of certain activity and certain conduct in Shelby County if the activity or conduct involves the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the county or involves any of the following:

(1) Litter, trash, and rubbish regulation and control on or adjacent to public roads, streets, or highways or on or in public buildings, public parks, or public properties.

(2) Control of public nuisances caused by noise levels or noxious odors, or substances.

(3) The use and control of public parks, lands, buildings, equipment, and real or personal property.

(4) Control of dangerous animals and animal nuisances.

Section 7. The Legislature, by local law, shall provide for the combination of the county offices of tax assessor and tax collector into one elected position of County Property Tax Commissioner.

Section 8. The powers granted to the Shelby County Commission by this amendment shall not be construed to extend to any matters which the Legislature by general law has heretofore preempted by operation of law, nor shall the powers be construed to extend to any of the following matters:

(1) Action affecting any elective county office, the salaries thereof, or the personnel thereof, except the personnel subject to the jurisdiction of the Shelby County Commission.

(2) Action affecting the composition, form, procedure for election or appointment, compensation, and expenses and allowances in the nature of compensation of the Shelby County Commission.

(3) Action defining any criminal offense or providing for criminal punishment beyond that authorized by local or general law or by the Alabama Constitution.

(4) Action extending the power of regulation over any business activity regulated by the Alabama Public Service Commission beyond that authorized by local or general law or by the Constitution.

(5) Action affecting the exercise of the power of eminent domain.

(6) Action affecting any court or the personnel thereof.

(7) Action affecting any public school system.

(8) Action affecting pari-mutuel betting or any pari-mutuel betting facility.

(9) Action affecting in any manner the property, affairs, boundaries, revenues, powers, obligations, indebtedness, or government of a municipality.

(10) Action affecting the private or civil law governing private or civil relationships, except as is incident to the exercise of an independent governmental power.

Section 9. The Legislature, by local law, may provide for the implementation and administration of the provisions of this amendment.

Amendment 708 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Shelby County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No elected or appointed Shelby County official or sheriff may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed Shelby County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system, and shall be treated as an employee of the county. Shelby County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office. No person may participate in both a supernumerary program and the Employees' Retirement System based on the same service. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed Shelby County official" shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed Shelby County official. The words do not include a judge, county commissioner, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 709 ratified
Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account.

Section I. As used in this amendment, the following words and phrases shall have the following respective meanings:

"Alabama Trust Fund" means the irrevocable, permanent trust fund created by Amendment No. 450 to the Constitution of Alabama 1901.

"Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account" means the special account created by this amendment.

"Oil and Gas Capital Payment" means any payment (including any royalty payment) received by the state or any agency or instrumentality thereof as all or part of the consideration for the sale, leasing or other disposition by the state or any agency or instrumentality thereof of any right to explore and drill for or to produce oil, gas or other hydrocarbon minerals in any area on the water side of the high water mark of Mobile Bay or in any other offshore area and shall include any revenue by the state from federal oil and gas leases off the coast of Alabama. Any royalty or other payment, with the exception of any taxes heretofore or hereafter levied, that is based upon or determined with respect to the production of oil, gas or other hydrocarbon minerals and that is paid to the state or any agency or instrumentality thereof, regardless of the time of such payment, shall be considered an oil and gas capital payment.

Section II. (a) Within thirty days following ratification of this constitutional amendment there shall be created within the Alabama Trust Fund the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account. Upon creation, the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account shall be credited with Oil and Gas Capital Payments previously transferred into the Alabama Trust Fund up to an amount equal to six percent of the Education Trust Fund appropriations for fiscal year 2002. Once established, no further amounts from the Alabama Trust Fund may be credited to the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account except repayments as provided in subsection (b) below. Funds from the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account may be withdrawn only to prevent proration of the appropriations for the public schools, public colleges and universities, public schools for the deaf and blind, including all appropriations to the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, public schools for the mentally ill and retarded, and other entities established by general statute for public school students from the Education Trust Fund subject to the following limitations. For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2002 funds may not be withdrawn from the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account unless legislation is enacted during the 2001 4th Special Session of the Legislature which increases Education Trust Fund revenues and reduces Education Trust Fund expenditures by a combined amount of $160 million as certified by the Legislative Fiscal Officer to the Legislature at the same time as the certifications pursuant to Section 16-13-281(c) are made. Beginning in the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2002 withdrawals from the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account shall be limited to an amount necessary to reach the average of the estimated available revenue which is to be certified by the Finance Director and the Legislative Fiscal Officer at the same time as the certifications pursuant to Section 16-13-281(c) Code of Alabama 1975 are made. The Governor shall certify to the state comptroller and notify the Legislature that proration would occur in appropriations for the public schools, public colleges and universities, public schools for the deaf and blind, including all appropriations to the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, public schools for the mentally ill and retarded, and other entities established by general statute for public school students from the Education Trust Fund in accordance with this constitution. Upon the certification by the Governor, and after all other sources available to be used to offset proration have been utilized, withdrawals from the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account may be made; however, withdrawals shall be limited to the amount of the anticipated proration and funds allotted only to the extent necessary to avoid proration of appropriations for the public schools, public colleges and universities, public schools for the deaf and blind, including all appropriations to the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, public schools for the mentally ill and retarded, and other entities established by general statute for public school students from the Education Trust Fund as limited by this section. In the event funds are withdrawn from the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account an additional amount equal to twenty-five percent of the Education Trust Fund transfer amount shall be transferred from the Alabama Trust Fund to the County and Municipal Government Capital Improvement Fund.

(b) The Finance Director shall ensure that if during the fiscal year, receipts to the Education Trust Fund (net of the Education Trust Rainy Day Account payments) are sufficient to reduce proration of funds for the public schools, public colleges and universities, public schools for the deaf and blind, including all appropriations to the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, public schools for the mentally ill and retarded, and other entities established by general statute for public school students which has been declared and for which funds have been withdrawn, then the amount corresponding to the reduced proration percentage shall be transferred back to the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account within the Alabama Trust Fund within thirty days after the end of the fiscal year in which the withdrawals were made. Any amount transferred back to the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account shall necessitate a transfer of an additional amount equal to twenty-five percent of that amount from the County and Municipal Government Capital Improvement Fund into the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account within the Alabama Trust Fund.

(c) The Legislature may provide by statute for the replenishment of the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account within the Alabama Trust Fund from sources other than the Alabama Trust Fund or Oil and Gas Capital Payments. The earnings from the investment of funds due to the replenishment shall be deposited into the State General Fund.

(d) The allocations to the Alabama Capital Improvement Trust Fund and to the County and Municipal Government Capital Improvement Fund as provided in Amendment 666 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, shall not be diminished by the application of this amendment.

(e) The Legislature must provide for the replenishment of the account within five (5) years after withdrawal of any funds from the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account pursuant to the provisions of this amendment. After the complete replenishment of the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account, any excess funds shall be designated to repay any lost interest earnings to the trust established under Amendment 543 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, due to any withdrawal from the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account.

Amendment 710 ratified
Costs and Charges of Courts in Lamar County.

In addition to any court costs or fees now or hereafter authorized, and notwithstanding any other provisions of the Constitution, including, without limitation, Sections 96, 104, and 105, there shall be an additional fee of one hundred dollars ($100) in misdemeanor drug cases and an additional fee of five hundred dollars ($500) in felony drug convictions assessed and taxed as costs on criminal cases filed in circuit court, district court, or any municipal court in Lamar County. The fees may not be waived by any court unless all other fees, assessments, costs, fines, and charges associated with the cases are waived. The additional fees, when collected by the clerks or other collection officers of the courts, shall be paid into the General Fund of Lamar County to be used by the county commission for the operation and maintenance of the canine unit in the office of the sheriff. This amendment shall be self-executing and shall require no enabling legislation.

Amendment 711 ratified
Amendment of Amendment No. 551

Amendment No. 551 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, is amended to read as follows:

The Legislature declares that all volunteer fire departments, including volunteer fire departments that have emergency medical technicians that are members, are organizations that are public in nature and serve to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Montgomery County.

In addition to all ad valorem taxes levied for fire protection, the Montgomery County Commission may levy and collect a special ad valorem tax, not to exceed five mills in any year on each dollar of assessed value of the property taxed, on property in the unincorporated area of Montgomery County for the purpose of providing fire protection in the unincorporated area of Montgomery County.

The tax provided in this act shall be levied, collected, administered, and enforced at the same time, in the same manner, and under the same requirements and laws as state ad valorem taxes. The officials collecting or assessing the tax shall be entitled to the same fees and compensation as are provided for collecting and assessing ad valorem taxes. The proceeds of the tax shall be paid into the county general fund. Within thirty days after payment into the county general fund, the Montgomery County Commission shall pay the funds to the Montgomery County Association of Volunteer Firefighters, hereafter referred to as the county association. The county association shall distribute the funds as follows:

(1) 60 percent shall be divided equally among all eligible volunteer fire departments.

(2) 30 percent shall be divided according to a percentage based upon the monies collected in a fire district compared to the total monies collected. The county association shall notify the Revenue Commissioner within 30 days after this act becomes operative of the designated fire districts. The boundaries of the fire districts may be rearranged at the discretion of the county association as they deem necessary, from time to time, to maximize fire protection services in the county.

(3) Ten percent of the money shall be designated as discretionary fund of the county association to be used for any expenditure otherwise allowable under this act.

In order to be an eligible volunteer fire department for purposes of this act, a volunteer fire department shall be in good standing with the Montgomery County Association of Volunteer Firefighters.

Funds disbursed to eligible volunteer fire departments pursuant to this act shall be expended only for fire protection and emergency medical services, including but not limited to, training, supplies, buildings, capital improvements, equipment, insurance, professional services, and dues. The funds shall not be expended for food, drink, social activities, or fund-raising activities. After receiving the funds, the volunteer fire departments shall keep accurate records to verify that the funds are properly expended. By September 15th of each year, the department shall file a report with the county association detailing the expenditure of all funds during the previous twelve months and setting out a schedule of all proposed projects. The filing shall account for all unspent funds and whether unspent funds have been obligated. Unspent funds that have not been obligated which exceed the amount of total receipts paid to the department for the prior year from this tax shall be returned to the county association for redistribution equally among the other fire departments. The county association shall supply the accounting forms to each eligible volunteer fire department. The copy of the year-end report shall be filed with the county commission and shall be audited by the Examiners of Public Accounts of the state on the same basis as county funds are audited.

Upon dissolution or abandonment of an eligible volunteer fire department, all remaining funds derived from this act or assets purchased with the funds derived from this act shall be transferred to the county association.

Prior to the levy of the fire protection tax in the unincorporated areas of county, there shall be submitted to the electors at a special election called for that purpose in the county, the question of whether the tax shall be levied. If a majority of the qualified electors within the unincorporated area of the county who vote at the election approve the tax, the tax shall be effective and levied. If a majority of the qualified electors within the unincorporated area of the county who vote at the election do not approve the tax, the tax shall not be effective and shall not be levied.

Elections on the question of the levy of a fire protection tax in the county may be held at any time and from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at an election held after the ratification of this amendment the proposal to levy the tax so submitted is defeated, then the proposal may not be submitted at another election held in the county within two years from the last election held under this amendment.

Amendment 712 ratified
Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services in Montgomery County.

(a) This amendment shall not apply to the City of Montgomery in Montgomery County.

(b) The governing body of any incorporated municipality in Montgomery County to which this amendment applies may levy and impose a special ad valorem tax, not to exceed five mills in any year, on each dollar of assessed value of the property taxed, on property in the incorporated area of municipality for the purpose of financing fire protection and emergency medical services within the boundaries of the municipality. Financing such services may include, but not be limited to, entering contracts for the services with existing fire departments, volunteer fire departments, and emergency medical service providers.

(c) The Legislature by local law may provide for the administration, collection, and allocation of any revenues from the ad valorem taxes levied and imposed under this amendment so long as the allocations are made solely for fire protection and emergency medical services.

Amendment 713 ratified
Promotion of Economic and Industrial Development in Montgomery County.

For the promotion of local economic and industrial development, the Montgomery County Commission and the City Council of the City of Montgomery, any other provision of law or of this Constitution notwithstanding, shall have, independently or in cooperation with one another, full and continuing power to do any of the following:

(1) Use public funds to purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire land, or to utilize land heretofore purchased or otherwise acquired, and improve and develop such land for use as sites for industry of any kind or as industrial park projects, including, but not limited to, grading and the construction of roads, drainage, sewers, sewage and waste disposal systems, parking areas, and utilities to serve such sites or projects.

(2) Lease, sell, grant, exchange, or otherwise convey, on terms approved by the governing body of the county or the City of Montgomery, as applicable, all or any part of any site or industrial park project to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, including any industrial development board or other public corporation or authority heretofore or hereafter created by the county or any municipality therein, for the purpose of constructing, developing, equipping, and operating industrial, commercial, research, or service facilities of any kind.

(3) Lend its credit to or grant public funds and things of value in aid of or to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, for the purpose of promoting the economic and industrial development of Montgomery County or the City of Montgomery.

In carrying out the purposes of this amendment, neither Montgomery County nor the City of Montgomery shall be subject to Section 93 or 94 of this Constitution. Each public corporation heretofore created by Montgomery County or by the City of Montgomery, including specifically any industrial development board incorporated under Chapter 54, Article 4, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, and any industrial development authority incorporated or reincorporated under Chapter 92A, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, is validated and the powers granted to such board or authority under its respective enabling legislation are validated notwithstanding any other provision of law or of this Constitution. The powers granted in this amendment may be exercised as an alternative to, or cumulative with, and in no way restrictive of, powers otherwise granted by law to the county, or to any municipality, or to any agency, board, or authority created pursuant to the laws of this state.

Neither Montgomery County nor the City of Montgomery shall lend its credit to or grant any public funds or thing of value to or in aid of any private entity under the authority of this amendment unless prior thereto: (i) the action proposed to be taken by Montgomery County or the City of Montgomery is at a public meeting of the governing body of the county or city, as the case may be, by a resolution containing a determination by such governing body that the expenditure of public funds for such purpose will serve a valid and sufficient public purpose, notwithstanding any incidental benefit accruing to any private entity or entities; and (ii) at least seven days prior to the public meeting, a notice is published in the newspaper having the largest circulation in the county or in the city, as the case may be, describing in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken, a description of the public benefits sought to be achieved by such action, and identifying each individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity to whom or for whose benefit the county or the city proposes to lend its credit or grant public funds or thing of value. For purposes of the foregoing, any sale, lease, or other disposition of property for a price equal to the fair market value thereof shall not constitute the lending of credit or a grant of public funds or thing of value in aid of a private entity.

Amendment 714 ratified
Procedure for Ratification and Adoption of Proposed Constitution of Alabama.

Any proposed Constitution of Alabama adopted to replace the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, whether adopted by a constitutional convention pursuant to Section 286 or by any other constitutionally authorized method now in existence or subsequently adopted, shall become effective only if the proposed constitution is ratified by a majority of the qualified electors of the state voting on the question of such ratification.

Prior to the ratification election, the text of the proposed constitution shall be published in the same manner as the proclamation of the election. The proposed constitution shall be published on a separate sheet or sheets and circulated with the newspapers in which the proclamation is published. The Legislature may also provide for other methods of publishing the text of the proposed constitution.

The result of the election shall be made known by proclamation of the Governor. If the proposed constitution is ratified as provided in this amendment, it shall become effective on the first day of January following ratification, unless otherwise provided in the ratified constitution. If the ratified constitution provides otherwise, the effective date shall be as provided in the ratified constitution.

The Legislature shall provide for the notice, and procedures related to the election, canvassing, proclamation, and costs which are in conformity with this amendment. If proposed by convention, the election shall be held at the next general election not less than 90 days following adjournment of the convention at which it was proposed.

Amendment 715 ratified
Organization and Promotion of Sheep and Goat Industry.

The Legislature, by general law, may provide for the promotion of the production, distribution, improvement, marketing, use, and sale of sheep or goats. The Legislature may provide for the promotion of sheep and goats and their products by research, education, advertising, and other methods. The Legislature may provide means and methods for the financing of any promotional activity by prescribing a procedure whereby producers of sheep and goats may levy upon themselves and collect assessments, fees, or charges upon the sale of sheep and goats for the financing of any promotional program or activity in cooperation with buyers, processors, dealers, distributors, and handlers of sheep and goats. The Legislature may make provisions for the nonpayment of assessments by sheep and goat producers and shall make provisions for the refund of assessments to any producer of sheep or goats who does not desire to participate in an assessment program. The Legislature shall provide for the collection, disbursement, distribution, or expenditure of assessments or charges authorized by this amendment and provide penalties for failure to make the collection and distribution of assessments. The Legislature shall provide for the designation of a nonprofit association or organization for the promotion and betterment of sheep and goats and their products to administer and carry out any promotional program which shall include the conducting of elections or referendums among producers of sheep and goats. The Legislature may provide the manner by which a referendum is held, including the procedure for application for approval to conduct the referendum, the appropriate action to be taken by the State Board of Agriculture and Industries on an application, the requirements and eligibility of the association or organization which will conduct the referendum, the procedures for voting and eligibility to vote in the referendum, and the details of the conduct of the referendum. The Legislature shall further provide for the deposit, withdrawal, disbursement, and expenditure by the designated association of any funds received subject to the supervision and control of the activities as authorized by the Department of Agriculture and Industries and the State Board of Agriculture and Industries. The Legislature shall further provide a procedure for the association or organization to be bonded, for the examination and auditing of the association or organization, and for reasonably necessary rules and regulations to be adopted by the State Board of Agriculture and Industries to effectively carry out the intent and purposes of this amendment. Assessments, fees, or other charges collected as authorized by any legislative act adopted under authority of this amendment are not to be considered a tax within the meaning of this constitution or any other provisions. Any uniformity requirements of this constitution shall be satisfied by the application of the program upon the sheep and goat industry.

Amendment 716 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Baldwin County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No person elected or appointed sheriff, or any elected or appointed Baldwin County official, may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every sheriff and elected or appointed Baldwin County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Baldwin County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office; provided, however, the official shall forego the assumption of a supernumerary office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed county official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 717 ratified
Employees Subject to Authority of Sheriff's Personnel Board in Baldwin County.

No later than the first day of the sixth month after ratification of this amendment, employees of the Office of the Sheriff of Baldwin County, except for the chief deputy, chief corrections officer, chief civil deputy, financial officer, and personnel officer, shall be under the authority of the Baldwin County Sheriff's Personnel Board. The provisions of this amendment shall not affect the liability of the employees of the Office of the Sheriff of Baldwin County.

Amendment 718 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Blount County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No elected or appointed Blount County official may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed Blount County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system; provided, the official shall forego the assumption of a supernumerary office. Blount County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office; provided, however, that costs associated with the purchase of prior service credit as prescribed in Section 36-27-6.1, shall be the responsibility of the official making the purchase. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed county official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 719 ratified
Promotion of Economic and Industrial Development in Butler County.

For the promotion of local economic and industrial development, Butler County and any municipality therein, any other provision of law or of this Constitution notwithstanding, shall have, independently or in cooperation with one another, full and continuing power to do any of the following:

(1) Use public funds to purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire land, or to utilize land heretofore purchased or otherwise acquired, and improve and develop such land for use as sites for industry of any kind or as industrial park projects, including, but not limited to, grading and the construction of roads, drainage, sewers, sewage and waste disposal systems, parking areas, and utilities to serve such sites or projects.

(2) Lease, sell, grant, exchange, or otherwise convey, on terms approved by the governing body of the county or the municipality, as applicable, all or any part of any site or industrial park project to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, including any industrial development board or other public corporation or authority heretofore or hereafter created by the county or any municipality therein, for the purpose of constructing, developing, equipping, and operating industrial, commercial, research, or service facilities of any kind.

(3) Lend its credit to or grant public funds and things of value in aid of or to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, for the purpose of promoting the economic and industrial development of Butler County or any municipality therein.

In carrying out the purposes of this amendment, neither Butler County nor any municipality therein shall be subject to Section 93 or 94 of this Constitution. Each public corporation heretofore created by Butler County or by any municipality therein, including specifically any industrial development board incorporated under Chapter 54, Article 4, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, and any industrial development authority incorporated or reincorporated under Chapter 92A, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, is validated and the powers granted to such board or authority under its respective enabling legislation are validated notwithstanding any other provision of law or of this Constitution. The powers granted in this amendment may be exercised as an alternative to, or cumulative with, and in no way restrictive of, powers otherwise granted by law to the county, or to any municipality, or to any agency, board, or authority created pursuant to the laws of this state.

Neither Butler County nor any municipality therein shall lend its credit to or grant any public funds or thing of value to or in aid of any private entity under the authority of this amendment unless prior thereto: (i) the action proposed to be taken by Butler County or any municipality therein is at a public meeting of the governing body of the county or city, as the case may be, by a resolution containing a determination by such governing body that the expenditure of public funds for such purpose will serve a valid and sufficient public purpose, notwithstanding any incidental benefit accruing to any private entity or entities; and (ii) at least seven days prior to the public meeting, a notice is published in the newspaper having the largest circulation in the county or in the city, as the case may be, describing in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken, a description of the public benefits sought to be achieved by such action, and identifying each individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity to whom or for whose benefit the county or the city proposes to lend its credit or grant public funds or thing of value. For purposes of the foregoing, any sale, lease, or other disposition of property for a price equal to the fair market value thereof shall not constitute the lending of credit or a grant of public funds or thing of value in aid of a private entity.

Amendment 720 ratified
Amendment of Amendment No. 291.

Amendment No. 291 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, is amended to read as follows:

In addition to any taxes now authorized or that may be hereafter authorized by the Constitution and laws of Alabama, each school district in Calhoun county, except the school district comprising the city of Anniston, shall have the power to levy and collect for public school purposes in such district an annual special ad valorem tax on the taxable properties in such district at a rate not exceeding in any one year five mills on each dollar of the value of the said properties as the same shall be assessed for state taxation; provided that prior to the levy of any special tax authorized in this paragraph, there shall be submitted to the electors of the district in which the tax is proposed to be levied, at a special election called for that purpose in the said district, the question of whether the said tax or any part thereof shall be levied, the rate thereof, and the purpose thereof, and the said tax shall be authorized at such election by a majority of the qualified electors of the district voting at such election; provided further, that if a majority of the qualified electors of any of the said districts participating in the election on the ratification of this amendment shall vote for the ratification of this amendment, then the approval of this amendment as expressed by the vote in said district in favor of its ratification shall, of itself, authorize the levy and collection of the said special tax for public school purposes in that district and will become due and payable to the said district on the October 1 next following the date of the said election on the ratification of this amendment. Any tax previously levied and approved pursuant to this amendment and any and all taxes levied and approved pursuant to this Constitution and any other amendments thereto shall remain effective for an indefinite period of time until specifically repealed by law.

Elections on the question of the levy of a district tax under the provisions of this amendment may be held at any time and from time to time, provided, that if at any such election held after the ratification of this amendment the proposal to levy the tax so submitted should be defeated then the proposal may not be submitted at another election held in the same district within one year from the last election held under this amendment. Each such election held after the ratification of this amendment shall be called and held, the results declared, and the tax levied and collected in the same manner as now or hereafter provided by law in the case of school district taxes authorized by amendment III [3] to the Constitution of Alabama, except that no countywide tax shall be required as a condition precedent for a district tax under this amendment.

The funds arising from the district tax herein authorized to be levied in each school district shall be expended for the exclusive benefit of the school district in which such district tax is levied. Nothing in this amendment shall be deemed to prevent the consolidation of any two or more school districts in Calhoun county in accordance with the applicable provisions of general law.

Amendment 721 ratified
Extension of Special Ad Valorem Tax for Public Library Purposes in Chambers County.

(a) Subject to the succeeding provisions of this amendment, the governing body of Chambers County shall continue to levy and provide for the collection of the special county ad valorem tax authorized by Amendment 554 of this constitution at the existing rate of 20 cents ($.20) on each one hundred dollars ($100) of taxable property in the county for an additional 10 years commencing on October 1, 2003, and expiring on September 30, 2013.

(b) The proceeds from the ad valorem tax which shall continue to be levied under subsection (a) of this amendment shall continue to be used for public library purposes in Chambers County in the same manner prescribed in subsections (a) and (b) of Amendment 554 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, for the use of the ad valorem tax proceeds collected pursuant to Amendment 554.

(c) The provisions of this amendment shall be self-executing and no further referendum or action by the Legislature shall be a prerequisite to continuing the levy and collection of the tax herein authorized. The county governing body shall provide for the administration and collection of the tax.

Amendment 722 ratified
Civil Service Merit System for Certain Employees in Chilton County.

The Legislature, by local law applicable only in Chilton County, may provide for the establishment of a civil service merit system for employees of the Office of Sheriff of Chilton County, including deputy sheriffs, county law enforcement officers, radio operators, jailers, and any other support personnel who work for the sheriff, except for the chief deputy.

Amendment 723 ratified
Promotion of Economic and Industrial Development in Coffee County.

For the promotion of local economic and industrial development, the Coffee County Commission and the governing body of any city or municipality located within Coffee County, any other provision of law or of this Constitution notwithstanding, shall have, independently or in cooperation with one another, full and continuing power to do any of the following:

(1) Use public funds to purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire land, or to utilize land heretofore purchased or otherwise acquired, and improve and develop such land for use as sites for industry of any kind or as industrial park projects, including, but not limited to, grading and the construction of roads, drainage, sewers, sewage and waste disposal systems, parking areas, and utilities to serve such sites or projects.

(2) Lease, sell, grant, exchange, or otherwise convey, on terms approved by the governing body of the county or any city or municipality located therein, as applicable, all or any part of any site or industrial park project to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, including any industrial development board or other public corporation or authority heretofore or hereafter created by the county or any municipality therein, for the purpose of constructing, developing, equipping, and operating industrial, commercial, research, or service facilities of any kind.

(3) Lend its credit to or grant public funds and things of value in aid of or to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, for the purpose of promoting the economic and industrial development of Coffee County or any city or municipality located therein.

In carrying out the purposes of this amendment, neither Coffee County nor any city or municipality located therein shall be subject to Section 93 or 94 of this Constitution. Each public corporation heretofore created by Coffee County or by any city or municipality located therein, including specifically any industrial development board incorporated under Chapter 54, Article 4, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, and any industrial development authority incorporated or reincorporated under Chapter 92A, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, is validated and the powers granted to such board or authority under its respective enabling legislation are validated notwithstanding any other provision of law or of this Constitution. The powers granted in this amendment may be exercised as an alternative to, or cumulative with, and in no way restrictive of, powers otherwise granted by law to the county, or to any municipality, or to any agency, board, or authority created pursuant to the laws of this state.

Neither Coffee County nor any city or municipality located therein shall lend its credit to or grant any public funds or thing of value to or in aid of any private entity under the authority of this amendment unless prior thereto: (i) the action proposed to be taken by Coffee County or any city or municipality located therein is at a public meeting of the governing body of the county or city, as the case may be, by a resolution containing a determination by such governing body that the expenditure of public funds for such purpose will serve a valid and sufficient public purpose, notwithstanding any incidental benefit accruing to any private entity or entities; and (ii) at least seven days prior to the public meeting, a notice is published in the newspaper having the largest circulation in the county or in the city, as the case may be, describing in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken, a description of the public benefits sought to be achieved by such action, and identifying each individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity to whom or for whose benefit the county or the city proposes to lend its credit or grant public funds or thing of value. For purposes of the foregoing, any sale, lease, or other disposition of property for a price equal to the fair market value thereof shall not constitute the lending of credit or a grant of public funds or thing of value in aid of a private entity.

Amendment 724 ratified
Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services in Coosa County.

The Legislature, from time to time, by local law may authorize the county governing body of Coosa County to levy and collect fees, annually not to exceed thirty dollars ($30) on each residence and fifty dollars ($50) on each business located within the county, for fire protection services and emergency medical care. The local law may provide for the distribution of the fees to volunteer fire departments and to emergency medical technicians who are members of volunteer fire departments, or provide for the distribution of the fees to an association of volunteer fire departments to be distributed by the association for the same purposes.

Amendment 725 ratified
Promotion of Economic and Industrial Development in Covington County.

For the promotion of local economic and industrial development of Covington County, the Covington County Commission, and the city councils of each municipality located in the county having a population of over 1,500 based on the 2000 decennial census, shall have, independently or in cooperation with one or more of such governmental entities, full and continuing power to do any of the following:

(1) Purchase, construct, develop, equip, operate, lease, or otherwise acquire real property, plants, buildings, factories, works, facilities, machinery, and equipment of any kind.

(2) Lease, sell for cash, or on credit, exchange, give, and convey any such property described in subdivision (1), to any person, firm, association, corporation or entity, public, or private, including, but not limited to, a duly authorized industrial development board or economic development commission or airport authority serving the county or any such municipalities.

(3) Promote local industrial, commercial, or agricultural development and the location of new industries or business therein.

(4) Become a stockholder or equity owner in any corporation, association, company, or entity.

(5) Lend its credit or grant public moneys and things of value in aid of any individual, firm, association, corporation, or entity whatsoever.

(6) Become indebted and issue and sell bonds, warrants, which may be payable from funds to be realized in future years, notes or other obligations, or evidences of indebtedness, to a principal amount not exceeding 50 percent of the assessed value of taxable property therein as determined for state taxation, in order to secure funds for the purchase, construction, lease, or acquisition of any of the property described in subdivision (1) or to be used in furtherance of any of the other powers or authorities granted in this amendment. Such obligations or evidences of indebtedness may be issued upon the full faith and credit of the county or any such municipality or may be limited as to the source of their payment.

(7) Create a public board, agency, authority, commission, corporation, or other entity having such powers, managed and governed by such board or governing body and subject to such limitations as the governing body of the county or any such municipality may impose, by approving and filing a certificate to that effect in the office of the judge of probate or the Secretary of State, or their respective successors in function, and delegate to such public board, agency, authority, commission, corporation, or other entity and its board or governing body all powers and authority conferred in this amendment upon the county or any such municipality.

In carrying out the purposes of this amendment, neither Covington County nor the municipalities shall be subject to Sections 93 or 94 of this Constitution. Each public corporation heretofore created by Covington County or by the municipalities, including specifically any industrial development board or authority, any economic development commission or authority, or any airport authority is validated and the powers granted to such board, commission, or authority under its respective enabling legislation are validated notwithstanding any other provision of law or of this Constitution. The powers granted in this amendment may be exercised as an alternative to, or cumulative with, and in no way restrictive of, powers otherwise granted by law to the county, or to any such municipality, or to any agency, board, corporation, commission, or authority created pursuant to the laws of this state.

Neither Covington County nor the municipalities shall lend its credit to or grant any public funds or thing of value to or in aid of any private entity under the authority of this amendment unless prior thereto: (i) the action proposed to be taken by Covington County or any such municipality is approved at a public meeting of the governing body of the county or municipality, as the case may be, by a resolution containing a determination by such governing body that the expenditure of public funds for such purpose will serve a valid and sufficient public purpose, notwithstanding any incidental benefit accruing to any private entity or entities; and (ii) at least seven days prior to the public meeting, a notice is published in the newspaper having the largest circulation in the county or in any such municipality, as the case may be, describing in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken, a description of the public benefits sought to be achieved by such action, and identifying each individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity to whom or for whose benefit the county or the municipality proposes to lend its credit or grant public funds or thing of value. For purposes of the foregoing, any sale, lease, or other disposition of property for a price equal to the fair market value thereof shall not constitute the lending of credit or a granting of public funds or thing of value in aid of a private entity.

The recital in any bonds, warrants, notes, or other obligations or evidences or indebtedness that they were issued pursuant to this amendment or that they were issued to provide funds to be used in furtherance of any power or authority herein authorized shall be conclusive, and no purchaser or holder thereof need inquire further. The bonds, warrants, notes, or other obligations or evidences or indebtedness issued hereunder shall not be considered an indebtedness of the county or any such municipality for the purpose of determining the borrowing capacity of the county or any such municipality under Section 224 or Section 225 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901.

This amendment shall be self-executing, but notwithstanding any contrary provisions of Section 104 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, the Legislature may by general, special, or local act adopt laws supplemental to this amendment or in furtherance of the purposes and objectives hereinabove set forth. No such special or local act shall be subject to the provisions of Section 106 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901.

Amendment 726 ratified
Costs and Charges of Courts in Crenshaw County.

(a) In addition to any court costs and fees now or hereafter authorized in Crenshaw County, and notwithstanding any other provisions of the Constitution, including, without limitation, Sections 96, 104, and 105, the Crenshaw County Commission may impose an additional fee in an amount not to exceed thirty-five dollars ($35) on each civil and criminal case, including traffic cases, filed in the circuit court, district court, or any municipal court in Crenshaw County. These fees shall not be waived by any court unless all other fees, assessments, costs, fines, and charges associated with the case are waived.

(b) The additional fees, when collected by the clerks or other collection officers of the courts, shall be paid into the General Fund of Crenshaw County to be used by the county commission for the planning, designing, constructing, operating, furnishing, equipping, and financing of a county jail. The Crenshaw County Commission may set and adjust by resolution the fees within the limits authorized by this amendment based on the needs associated with the planning, designing, constructing, operating, furnishing, equipping, and financing of a county jail.

Amendment 727 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Crenshaw County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No person elected or appointed sheriff, or any elected or appointed Crenshaw County official may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed Crenshaw County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Crenshaw County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed county official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 728 ratified
Amendment of Amendment No. 637.

Amendment 637 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901 is amended to read as follows:

(a) In addition to all other ad valorem taxes levied, the DeKalb County Commission may levy on an annual basis, commencing with the tax year beginning October 1, 1998, an ad valorem tax on all taxable property located in DeKalb County, excluding taxable property located within the city limits of Fort Payne, at a rate of three mills per dollar of assessed value of the taxable property. The proceeds of the tax levied pursuant to this amendment shall be paid into the county general fund and distributed for the benefit of fire protection only.

(b) Within 30 days of payment into the county general fund, the county commission shall pay the funds to the DeKalb County Association of Fire Departments, Incorporated. At each quarterly meeting of the association, the funds shall be divided between all eligible volunteer fire departments and the DeKalb County Association of Fire Departments so that each volunteer fire department receives an equal share of the funds and the county association receives an amount equal to the total of three of the equal shares received by the volunteer fire departments. Of the three share total distributed to the county association, one-third or one share may be used for administrative duties, the other two-thirds or two shares may be used for fire protection services in those areas not adequately covered by a fire department or for additional fire service equipment purchases on a countywide basis, or both. The county commission and the county association may jointly establish rules regarding the transfer, investing, accounting, and handling of the funds, including but not limited to, any funds which have accrued since October 1, 1998, and have not been distributed as of the ratification date of this amendment.

(c) Funds paid to eligible volunteer fire departments shall only be expended for fire protection services, including training, supplies, buildings, capital improvements, and equipment. An eligible volunteer fire department shall mean a volunteer fire department located in DeKalb County that is certified under the guidelines of the Alabama Forestry Commission, has at least an ISO class 9 rating, and is a member in good standing of the DeKalb County Association, Incorporated. The funds may not be expended for salaries, food, drink, social activities, or fund-raising activities. After receiving funds, the eligible volunteer fire departments shall keep accurate records to verify that the funds were properly expended. By September 15th of each year, each eligible volunteer fire department shall file a form with the county association detailing the expenditures of all funds during the previous 12 months and setting out a schedule of all proposed projects. The filing shall also account for all unspent funds and whether the unspent funds have been obligated. The county association shall supply the accounting forms to each eligible volunteer fire department.

(d) Upon dissolution or abandonment of any eligible volunteer fire department, any remaining funds shall, after all indebtedness has been satisfied, be transferred to the county association.

(e) The personnel of volunteer fire departments shall not be considered as employees, servants, or agents of the county and the members of the county commission and the employees of the county shall not be liable in either their official capacity or in a private capacity for the actions of the personnel of volunteer fire departments.

Amendment 729 ratified
Promotion of Economic and Industrial Development in Henry County.

For the promotion of local economic and industrial development of Henry County, the Henry County Economic Development Authority, Incorporated, an Alabama nonprofit corporation, the Henry County Commission, and the city council of each municipality located in the county, shall have, independently or in cooperation with one or more of such governmental entities, full and continuing power to do any of the following:

(1) Purchase, construct, lease, or otherwise acquire real property, plants, buildings, factories, works, facilities, machinery, and equipment of any kind.

(2) Lease, sell for cash or on credit, exchange, give, and convey any such property described in subdivision (1), to any person, firm, association, or corporation.

(3) Promote local industrial, commercial, or agricultural development and the location of new industries or business therein.

(4) Become a stockholder in any corporation, association, or company.

(5) Lend its credit or to grant public moneys and things of value in aid of, to any individual, firm, association, or corporation whatsoever.

(6) Become indebted and issue and sell bonds, warrants, which may be payable from funds to be realized in future years, notes or other obligations, or evidences of indebtedness to a principal amount not exceeding 50 percent of the assessed value of taxable property therein as determined for state taxation, in order to secure funds for the purchase, construction, lease, or acquisition of any of the property described in subdivision (1) or to be used in furtherance of any of the other powers or authorities granted in this amendment. Such obligations or evidences of indebtedness may be issued upon the full faith and credit of the county or any such municipality or may be limited as to the source of their payment.

(7) Create a public authority or corporation having such powers, managed and governed by such board or governing body and subject to such limitations as the governing body of the county or any such municipality may impose, by approving and filing a certificate to that effect in the office of the judge of probate or the Secretary of State, or their respective successors in function, and delegate to such public authority or corporation and its board or governing body all powers and authority conferred in this amendment upon the county or any such municipality.

The recital in any bonds, warrants, notes, or other obligations or evidences of indebtedness that they were issued pursuant to this amendment or that they were issued to provide funds to be used in furtherance of any power or authority herein authorized shall be conclusive, and no purchaser or holder thereof need inquire further. The bonds, warrants, notes, or other obligations or evidences or indebtedness issued hereunder shall not be considered an indebtedness of the county or any such municipality for the purpose of determining the borrowing capacity of the county or any such municipality under Section 234 or Section 225 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901.

In carrying out the purposes of this amendment, neither the county nor any municipality shall be subject to the provisions of Section 94 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901. This amendment shall be self-executing, but notwithstanding any contrary provisions of Section 104 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, the Legislature may by general, special, or local act adopt laws supplemental to this amendment or in furtherance of the purposes and objectives hereinabove set forth. No such special or local act shall be subject to the provisions of Section 106 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901.

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to confer upon the Henry County Commission or the City Council of any municipality located in this county, or any public authority created pursuant to this amendment, the authority to purchase, construct, lease, control or otherwise acquire or operate telecommunications facilities, cable facilities or electric generating, transmission or distribution facilities, lines, or equipment.

Amendment 730 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Jackson County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No person elected or appointed sheriff, or any elected or appointed Jackson County official may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed Jackson County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Jackson County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include, subject only to express limitation, any person elected to represent Jackson County in any representation body of the state and includes any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed county official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 731 ratified
Amendment to Amendment No. 691.

Amendment 691 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, is amended to read as follows:

Amendment No. 691

No elected or appointed Lawrence County official, including the sheriff, may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed Lawrence County official, including the sheriff, may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Lawrence County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment, or any amendment thereto, shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office. No person may participate in both a supernumerary program and the Employees' Retirement System based on the same service. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed Lawrence County official" include, subject only to express limitation, any person elected to represent Lawrence County in any representative body of the state, including the sheriff, and includes any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed Lawrence County official. The words do not include a judge, legislator, district attorney, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 732 ratified
Bingo Games in Town of White Hall.

(a) The operation of bingo games, including media bingo, for prizes or money by nonprofit organizations, which shall include the Town of White Hall or any agency thereof, for charitable, educational, or other lawful purposes shall be legal in the Town of White Hall that is located in Lowndes County, subject to any resolution or ordinance by the town council. The town council shall have the authority to promulgate rules and regulations for the licensing and operation of bingo games within its jurisdiction provided, however, the town council shall insure compliance pursuant to any ordinance and the following provisions:

(1) No person under the age of 18 years shall be permitted to play any game or games of bingo, nor shall any person under the age of 19 years be permitted to conduct or assist in the operation of any game of bingo.

(2) No bingo license shall be issued to any nonprofit organization, unless the organization shall have been in existence for at least two years immediately prior to the issuance of the permit or license.

(3) Bingo games shall be operated only on the premises owned or leased by the nonprofit organization operating the bingo game. If the premises are leased, the rate of rental shall not be based on a percentage of receipts or profits resulting from the operation of bingo games unless such percentage is established by promulgated rules and regulations authorized by the town council.

(4) A nonprofit organization may enter into any contract with any individual, firm, association, or corporation to have the individual or entity operate bingo games or concessions on behalf of the nonprofit organization. No nonprofit organization shall pay consulting fees to any individual or entity for any services performed in relation to the operation or conduct of a bingo game.

(5) A nonprofit organization shall not lend its name or allow its identity to be used by another person or entity in the operating or advertising of a bingo game in which the nonprofit organization is not directly and solely operating the bingo game.

(6) Prizes given by any nonprofit organization for the playing of bingo games shall not exceed the cash amount or gifts of equivalent value set by regulations.

(7) No tax shall be levied on any game permitted by this amendment, nor shall any person or organization, by whatever name or composition thereof, take any expense for the operation of a bingo game except as permitted by law.

(b) The town council may provide for the implementation of this amendment by the adoption of any resolution or ordinance as provided heretofore.

(c) The provisions of this amendment are complimentary and supplemental to any amendment heretofore ratified authorizing the operation of bingo games in the Town of White Hall located in Lowndes County.

(d) Any person who violates the regulations provided under the provisions of this amendment shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor upon the first conviction under this amendment and any subsequent violation shall be a Class A misdemeanor.

Amendment 733 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Marengo County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No person elected or appointed sheriff, or any elected or appointed Marengo County official, may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every sheriff and elected or appointed Marengo County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Marengo County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office; provided, however, the official shall forego the assumption of a supernumerary office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 734 ratified
Amendment of Amendment No. 592.

Amendment 592 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, is amended to read as follows:

Amendment No. 592

No elected or appointed Morgan County official, including the sheriff, may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed Morgan County official, including the sheriff, may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Morgan County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment, or any amendment thereto, shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office; provided, however, the official shall forego the assumption of a supernumerary office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed county official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 735 ratified
Costs and Charges of Courts in Perry County.

The Legislature, by general or local law, may fix, alter, and regulate the costs and charges of courts in Perry County and provide for their distribution.

Amendment 736 ratified
Amendment of Amendment No. 507.

Amendment No. 507.

In addition to any court costs and fees now or hereafter authorized to be collected in Russell County, the County Commission of Russell County may assess a fee not to exceed thirty dollars ($30.00) upon the privilege of filing an initial complaint in all civil and criminal cases filed in any court in the county, as well as a fee not to exceed five dollars ($5.00) for the service of all pleadings and other documents in connection with any action or case. All fees shall be paid into the county general fund and shall be applied exclusively for payment of the cost of the planning, construction, equipping, maintaining, and operating of the county jail, or for the payment of the principal of and interest on any bonds, warrants, or other obligations issued by or on behalf of the county to finance the costs of the jail, as well as the expenses of issuance of any bonds, warrants, or other obligations.

Amendment 736 ratified
Amendment of Amendment No. 507.

Amendment No. 507.

In addition to any court costs and fees now or hereafter authorized to be collected in Russell County, the County Commission of Russell County may assess a fee not to exceed thirty dollars ($30.00) upon the privilege of filing an initial complaint in all civil and criminal cases filed in any court in the county, as well as a fee not to exceed five dollars ($5.00) for the service of all pleadings and other documents in connection with any action or case. All fees shall be paid into the county general fund and shall be applied exclusively for payment of the cost of the planning, construction, equipping, maintaining, and operating of the county jail, or for the payment of the principal of and interest on any bonds, warrants, or other obligations issued by or on behalf of the county to finance the costs of the jail, as well as the expenses of issuance of any bonds, warrants, or other obligations.

Amendment 737 ratified
Promotion of Economic and Industrial Development in Russell County.

For the promotion of local economic and industrial development, Russell County and any municipality therein, any other provision of law or of this Constitution notwithstanding, shall have, independently or in cooperation with one another, full and continuing power to do any of the following:

(1) Use public funds to purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire land, or to utilize land heretofore purchased or otherwise acquired, and improve and develop such land for use as sites for industry of any kind or as industrial park projects, including, but not limited to, grading and the construction of roads, drainage, sewers, sewage and waste disposal systems, parking areas, and utilities to serve such sites or projects.

(2) Lease, sell, grant, exchange, or otherwise convey, on terms approved by the governing body of the county or the municipality, as applicable, all or any part of any site or industrial park project to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, including any industrial development board or other public corporation or authority heretofore or hereafter created by the county or any municipality therein, for the purpose of constructing, developing, equipping, and operating industrial, commercial, research, or service facilities of any kind.

(3) Lend its credit to or grant public funds and things of value in aid of or to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, for the purpose of promoting the economic and industrial development of Russell County or any municipality therein.

In carrying out the purposes of this amendment, neither Russell County nor any municipality therein shall be subject to Section 93 or 94 of this Constitution. Each public corporation heretofore created by Russell County or by any municipality therein, including specifically any industrial development board incorporated under Chapter 54, Article 4, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, and any industrial development authority incorporated or reincorporated under Chapter 92A, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, is validated and the powers granted to such board or authority under its respective enabling legislation are validated notwithstanding any other provision of law or of this Constitution. The powers granted in this amendment may be exercised as an alternative to, or cumulative with, and in no way restrictive of, powers otherwise granted by law to the county, or to any municipality, or to any agency, board, or authority created pursuant to the laws of this state.

Neither Russell County nor any municipality therein shall lend its credit to or grant any public funds or thing of value to or in aid of any private entity under the authority of this amendment unless prior thereto: (i) the action proposed to be taken by Russell County or any municipality therein is at a public meeting of the governing body of the county or city, as the case may be, by a resolution containing a determination by such governing body that the expenditure of public funds for such purpose will serve a valid and sufficient public purpose, notwithstanding any incidental benefit accruing to any private entity or entities; and (ii) at least seven days prior to the public meeting, a notice is published in the newspaper having the largest circulation in the county or in the city, as the case may be, describing in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken, a description of the public benefits sought to be achieved by such action, and identifying each individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity to whom or for whose benefit the county or the city proposes to lend its credit or grant public funds or thing of value. For purposes of the foregoing, any sale, lease, or other disposition of property for a price equal to the fair market value thereof shall not constitute the lending of credit or a grant of public funds or thing of value in aid of a private entity.

Amendment 738 ratified
Council-Manager Form of Government in City of Talladega.

(a) This amendment applies only to the City of Talladega in Talladega County.

(b) The council-manager form of government shall become operative in the city on the first Monday in October following the next municipal election of the city council and mayor.

(c) At the next municipal election and at municipal elections thereafter, a city council composed of five members elected from single-member districts and a mayor elected from the city at-large shall be elected. The five members of the council shall initially be elected from the same districts as the current city council. The mayor shall not serve on the council or participate in the adoption of ordinances or in other matters coming before the council.

(d) The city council shall employ a city manager under the terms and conditions it shall provide. The current city clerk shall continue to serve until the position becomes vacant, but shall serve under the direction of the city manager.

(e) The mayor shall serve on a part-time basis and shall be recognized as the head of the municipal government for all ceremonial purposes, but shall have no other administrative duties. The salary of the mayor shall be set by the council to reflect a part-time position.

(f) Except as otherwise provided in this amendment, the city shall operate under the council-manager form of government as provided in Chapter 43A of Title 11, Code of Alabama 1975, or as otherwise provided by general law.

(g) The city may exercise any powers granted to municipalities pursuant to general law.

(h) The City of Talladega shall remain under the council-manager form of government unless this amendment is repealed.

Amendment 739 ratified
Promotion of Economic and Industrial Development in Tallapoosa County.

For the promotion of local economic and industrial development, Tallapoosa County and any municipality therein, any other provision of law or of this Constitution notwithstanding, shall have, independently or in cooperation with one another, full and continuing power to do any of the following:

(1) Use public funds to purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire land, or to utilize land heretofore purchased or otherwise acquired, and improve and develop such land for use as sites for industry of any kind or as industrial park projects, including, but not limited to, grading and the construction of roads, drainage, sewers, sewage and waste disposal systems, parking areas, and utilities to serve such sites or projects.

(2) Lease, sell, grant, exchange, or otherwise convey, on terms approved by the governing body of the county or the municipality, as applicable, all or any part of any site or industrial park project to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, including any industrial development board or other public corporation or authority heretofore or hereafter created by the county or any municipality therein, for the purpose of constructing, developing, equipping, and operating industrial, commercial, research, or service facilities of any kind.

(3) Lend its credit to or grant public funds and things of value in aid of or to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, for the purpose of promoting the economic and industrial development of Tallapoosa County or any municipality therein.

In carrying out the purposes of this amendment, neither Tallapoosa County nor any municipality therein shall be subject to Section 93 or 94 of this Constitution. Each public corporation heretofore created by Tallapoosa County or by any municipality therein, including specifically any industrial development board incorporated under Chapter 54, Article 4, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, and any industrial development authority incorporated or reincorporated under Chapter 92A, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, is validated and the powers granted to such board or authority under its respective enabling legislation are validated notwithstanding any other provision of law or of this Constitution. The powers granted in this amendment may be exercised as an alternative to, or cumulative with, and in no way restrictive of, powers otherwise granted by law to the county, or to any municipality, or to any agency, board, or authority created pursuant to the laws of this state.

Neither Tallapoosa County nor any municipality therein shall lend its credit to or grant any public funds or thing of value to or in aid of any private entity under the authority of this amendment unless prior thereto: (i) the action proposed to be taken by Tallapoosa County or any municipality therein is approved at a public meeting of the governing body of the county or city, as the case may be, by a resolution containing a determination by such governing body that the expenditure of public funds for such purpose will serve a valid and sufficient public purpose, notwithstanding any incidental benefit accruing to any private entity or entities; and (ii) at least seven days prior to the public meeting, a notice is published in the newspaper having the largest circulation in the county or in the city, as the case may be, describing in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken, a description of the public benefits sought to be achieved by such action, and identifying each individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity to whom or for whose benefit the county or the city proposes to lend its credit or grant public funds or thing of value. For purposes of the foregoing, any sale, lease, or other disposition of property for a price equal to the fair market value thereof shall not constitute the lending of credit or a grant of public funds or thing of value in aid of a private entity.

Amendment 740 ratified
Polling Places in Tuscaloosa County.

Every polling place in Tuscaloosa County shall be open for voting on election day for any local, state, or national election at 7:00 A.M. and shall close at 7:00 P.M. The Tuscaloosa County Commission shall provide funds from the county general fund for any additional compensation needed for poll workers required to work the extended hours required by this amendment.

Amendment 741 ratified
Tuscaloosa County Judicial Commission.

(a) In Tuscaloosa County, all vacancies in the offices of judge of the circuit court and judge of the district court shall be filled in the manner and for the time as provided in this amendment. The Tuscaloosa County Judicial Commission is created for the purpose of nominating to the Governor persons for appointment to any vacancy in the office of judge of the circuit court and judge of the district court. The nine members of the commission shall consist of the following: One attorney primarily or substantially engaged in a plaintiff civil practice; one attorney primarily or substantially engaged in a defense civil practice; one attorney primarily or substantially engaged in a domestic relations practice; one attorney primarily or substantially engaged in a criminal defense practice; the District Attorney for Tuscaloosa County; the Presiding Judge of the Circuit Court of Tuscaloosa County; and three people who are not members of the Alabama State Bar. Each member shall reside in the territorial jurisdiction of the Circuit Court of Tuscaloosa County.

(b) Members of the commission shall be elected in the following manner:

(1) At least 30 days prior to the Tuscaloosa County Bar Association meeting at which any Alabama State Bar member of the Tuscaloosa County Judicial Commission shall be elected, the Executive Committee of the Tuscaloosa County Bar Association shall provide notice of such election and a list of at least two nominees for each vacancy on the Tuscaloosa County Judicial Commission, except for the positions held by the District Attorney for Tuscaloosa County and the Presiding Judge of the Circuit Court of Tuscaloosa County, to all members of the Tuscaloosa County Bar Association. Any member may submit additional nominations in writing to the President or Secretary of the Tuscaloosa County Bar Association no later than 14 days after the date upon which the list of nominees was provided, specifying the position on the commission for which the nomination is made. All nominees shall be members in good standing of the Alabama and Tuscaloosa County Bar Associations and shall have been engaged in the active practice of law for at least five years.

(2) After the 14-day period for nominations has passed, the Tuscaloosa County Bar Executive Committee shall certify each nominee who meets the criteria for election to the commission.

(3) The names of all nominees certified by the executive committee for each vacant position shall be provided to all members of the Tuscaloosa County Bar Association at least seven days prior to the announced date of the election. The standing rules and regulations of the Tuscaloosa County Bar Association shall govern the election process during the bar association meeting.

(4) The members of the commission who are not members of the state bar shall be selected by a majority of the Tuscaloosa County Legislative Delegation. At least 14 days prior to any meeting for the selection of the members to the commission who are not members of the state bar, the Presiding Judge of the Circuit Court of Tuscaloosa County shall notify the Chair of the Tuscaloosa County Legislative Delegation and all members of the Tuscaloosa Legislative Delegation of the need for a meeting to select candidates for the commission. The Chair of the Tuscaloosa County Legislative Delegation shall also notify the members of the legislative delegation and the presiding circuit court judge of the circuit of the time and location of the meeting. At the meeting, the senators and representatives shall select the members to be appointed to the commission. The Chair of the Tuscaloosa Legislative Delegation shall certify in writing to the Secretary of the Tuscaloosa County Bar Association the name of the individuals selected.

(c) The Secretary of the Tuscaloosa County Bar Association shall certify in writing to the Tuscaloosa County Judge of Probate the names of the members of the commission. The judge of probate shall record all certificates of election and shall safely and permanently keep the original certificates. Upon receipt of the certificate of election, the judge of probate shall send a certified copy to the Governor.

(d) The terms of office of the appointed members of the commission shall be six years. The length of each term shall be designated by the Executive Committee of the Tuscaloosa County Bar Association. Any vacancy on the Tuscaloosa County Judicial Commission shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the member was originally chosen.

(e) No member shall receive any salary or other compensation for services. No member of the commission, other than the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney and the Presiding Judge of the Circuit Court of Tuscaloosa County shall hold any elected office nor shall any member hold any official position in any political party.

(f) If, after the ratification of this amendment, a vacancy occurs in Tuscaloosa County in the office of judge of the circuit court or judge of the district court, the commission shall submit to the Governor within 45 days after the vacancy occurs a slate of three persons who are qualified for the office. The nominations shall be made only by the concurrence of a majority of the members of the commission. The presiding judge of the circuit court shall certify the three nominees to the Governor, who shall appoint one to the office in which the vacancy exists. If the Governor fails to make an appointment from the submitted list within 60 days from the date of submission, the commission shall submit a new list as provided in this section to the Governor.

Amendment 742 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Wilcox County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No person elected or appointed sheriff, or any elected or appointed Wilcox County official may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed sheriff and every elected or appointed Wilcox County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Wilcox County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed county official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 743 ratified
Bingo Games in Greene County.

For purposes of this amendment, the following words have the following meanings:

1. BINGO. That specific kind of game commonly known as bingo in which prizes are awarded on the basis of designated numbers or symbols on a card or electronic marking machine conforming to numbers or symbols selected at random.

2. EQUIPMENT. The receptacle and numbered objects drawn from it, the master board upon which such objects are placed as drawn, the cards or sheets bearing numbers or other designations to be covered and the objects used to cover them or electronic card marking machines, and the board or signs, however operated, used to announce or display the numbers or designations as they are drawn.

3. NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. A bona fide religious, educational, service, senior citizens', fraternal, or veterans' organization which operates without profit to its members and which either has been in existence continuously as such an organization for a period of three years or is exempt from taxation by virtue of having been classified as a tax exempt nonprofit organization by the Internal Revenue Service, United States Government. This term includes a volunteer fire department and a volunteer rescue squad.

Bingo games for prizes or money may be operated by a nonprofit organization in Greene County. The sheriff shall promulgate rules and regulations for the licensing, permitting, and operation of bingo games within the county. The sheriff shall insure compliance with such rules or regulations and all of the following:

(1) No person under the age of 19 years shall be permitted to play any game or games of bingo, nor shall any person under the age of 19 years be permitted to conduct or assist in the operation of any game of bingo.

(2) Bingo games shall be operated exclusively on the premises owned or leased by the nonprofit organization operating the bingo game. Such location shall be specified in the application of the nonprofit organization.

(3) A nonprofit organization may not enter into any contract with any individual, firm, association, or corporation to have the individual or entity operate bingo games or concessions on behalf of the nonprofit organization. A nonprofit organization may not pay consulting fees to any individual or entity for any services performed in relation to the operation or conduct of a bingo game.

(4) A nonprofit organization may not lend its name or allow its identity to be used by another person or entity in the operating, promoting, or advertising of a bingo game in which the nonprofit organization is not directly and solely operating the bingo game.

(5) All equipment shall be stamped or clearly marked in letters no less than one-half inch in height and one-fourth inch in width (except for the letter "I") with the name of the nonprofit organization using the equipment. A nonprofit organization or other person or entity may not use equipment marked with the name of another nonprofit organization.

(6) Prizes given by any nonprofit organization for the playing of bingo games shall not exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) in cash or gifts of equivalent value during any bingo session.

(7) A nonprofit organization may not advertise bingo except to the extent and in the manner authorized by rule of the sheriff. If the sheriff allows a nonprofit organization to advertise bingo, the nonprofit organization shall indicate in the advertisement the purposes for which the net proceeds will be used by the nonprofit organization.

(8) A nonprofit organization shall display its bingo license conspicuously at the location where the bingo game is conducted.

(9) The sheriff shall determine by regulation the days of operation during any calendar week and the hours of operation.

A violation of this amendment is a Class A misdemeanor as specified by general law.

Amendment 744 ratified
Bingo Games in Macon County.

The operation of bingo games for prizes or money by nonprofit organizations for charitable, educational, or other lawful purposes shall be legal in Macon County. The sheriff shall promulgate rules and regulations for the licensing and operation of bingo games within the county. The sheriff shall insure compliance pursuant to any rule or regulation and the following requirements:

(1) No person under the age of 19 years shall be permitted to play any game or games of bingo, nor shall any person under the age of 19 years be permitted to conduct or assist in the operation of any game of bingo.

(2) No bingo license shall be issued to any nonprofit organization, unless the organization shall have been in existence for at least three years in the county immediately prior to the issuance of the permit or license.

(3) Bingo games may be operated on the premises owned or leased by the nonprofit organization operating the bingo game.

(4) A nonprofit organization may enter into a contract with any individual, firm, association, or corporation to have the individual or entity operate bingo games or concessions on behalf of the nonprofit organization. A nonprofit organization may pay consulting fees to any individual or entity for any services performed in relation to the operation or conduct of a bingo game.

(5) A nonprofit organization may lend its name or allow its identity to be used by another person or entity in the operating or advertising of a bingo game in which the nonprofit organization is not directly and solely operating the bingo game.

(6) Prizes given by any nonprofit organization for the playing of bingo games shall not exceed the cash amount or gifts of equivalent value set by rule or regulation during any bingo session during any calendar week.

Amendment 745 ratified
Costs and Charges of Court in 24th Judicial Circuit.

Section I. In the 24th Judicial Circuit, consisting of Fayette County, Lamar County, and Pickens County, in addition to any court costs and fees now or hereafter authorized in cases in the circuit and district courts, an additional fee of five dollars ($5) shall be charged and collected by the clerk of the court on each case filed in the circuit.

Section II. The clerk of the respective court shall collect the fee in the same manner as other costs in the court and shall remit the fee to the West Alabama Children's Advocacy Center on a monthly basis to be used by the center for abuse victims in the circuit.

Section III. If the boundaries of the 24th Judicial Circuit change, the filing fee imposed by this amendment shall remain in effect for the Counties of Fayette, Lamar, and Pickens, unless altered by a subsequent amendment to this constitution.

Amendment 746 ratified
Costs and Charges of Courts in Calhoun County.

The Legislature, from time to time, may fix, regulate, and alter the costs and charges of court in Calhoun County and may authorize the Calhoun County Commission to fix, regulate, and alter the costs and charges of court, including booking fees, in Calhoun County. The Legislature may provide or may allow the Calhoun County Commission to provide for the distribution of any additional revenue. Any local act authorized in this amendment which has been previously enacted prior to the ratification of this amendment shall be ratified, approved, and confirmed.

Amendment 747 ratified
Validation of ad valorem tax for school purposes in Calhoun County.

Any provision of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, or the laws of the State of Alabama to the contrary notwithstanding, the levy and collection in each year of each ad valorem tax for public school purposes or educational purposes in Calhoun County, Alabama, and in any municipality located, in whole or in part, in Calhoun County, Alabama, and in any school tax district located in Calhoun County, Alabama, which tax was approved by a majority vote of the appropriate electorate prior to October 1, 2002, and which was being levied and collected for the tax year that began on October 1, 2002, is hereby:

(a) Authorized, ratified, validated, and confirmed from and after the date of the initial levy of such tax regardless of any statutory or constitutional defects, mistakes, errors, or ambiguities in the authorization or levy thereof or the election thereon, or in any act of the Legislature with respect thereto; and

(b) Continued and extended beginning with the levy and collection of such tax for the tax year next succeeding the tax year initially established for the final levy and collection of such tax and continuing for each tax year thereafter without limit as to time.

Amendment 748 ratified
Economic Development in Crenshaw County.

For the promotion of local economic and industrial development, the Crenshaw County Commission and the governing body of any municipality located therein, any other provision of law or of this Constitution notwithstanding, shall have, independently or in cooperation with one another, full and continuing power to do any of the following:

(1) Use public funds to purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire land, or to utilize land heretofore purchased or otherwise acquired, and improve and develop such land for use as sites for industry of any kind or as industrial park projects, including, but not limited to, grading and the construction of roads, drainage, sewers, sewage and waste disposal systems, parking areas, and utilities to serve such sites or projects.

(2) Lease, sell, grant, exchange, or otherwise convey, on terms approved by the governing body of the county or the municipality, as applicable, all or any part of any site or industrial park project to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, including any industrial development board or other public corporation or authority heretofore or hereafter created by the county or the municipality, for the purpose of constructing, developing, equipping, and operating industrial, commercial, research, or service facilities of any kind.

(3) Lend its credit to or grant public funds and things of value in aid of or to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, for the purpose of promoting the economic and industrial development of Crenshaw County or the municipality.

In carrying out the purposes of this amendment, neither Crenshaw County nor the municipality shall be subject to Section 93 or 94 of this Constitution. Each public corporation heretofore created by Crenshaw County or by the municipality, including, specifically, any industrial development board incorporated under Chapter 54, Article 4, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, and any industrial development authority incorporated or reincorporated under Chapter 92A, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, is validated and the powers granted to such board or authority under its respective enabling legislation are validated notwithstanding any other provision of law or of this Constitution. The powers granted in this amendment may be exercised as an alternative to, or cumulative with, and in no way restrictive of, powers otherwise granted by law to the county, or to any municipality, or to any agency, board, or authority created pursuant to the laws of this state.

Crenshaw County or any municipality located therein shall neither lend its credit to or grant any public funds or thing of value to or in aid of any private entity under the authority of this amendment unless prior thereto: (i) The action proposed to be taken by Crenshaw County or the municipality is at a public meeting of the governing body of the county or municipality, as the case may be, by a resolution containing a determination by such governing body that the expenditure of public funds for such purpose will serve a valid and sufficient public purpose, notwithstanding any incidental benefit accruing to any private entity or entities; and (ii) at least seven days prior to the public meeting, a notice is published in the newspaper having the largest circulation in the county or in the municipality, as the case may be, describing in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken, a description of the public benefits sought to be achieved by such action, and identifying each individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity to whom or for whose benefit the county or the municipality proposes to lend its credit or grant public funds or thing of value. For purposes of the foregoing, any sale, lease, or other disposition of property for a price equal to the fair market value thereof shall not constitute the lending of credit or a grant of public funds or thing of value in aid of a private entity.

Amendment 749 ratified
Board of Education in Russell County.

Section I. The Russell County Board of Education shall be composed of seven members. Six of the members shall be elected by a majority of the respective qualified electors of six separate single-member districts, designated Place #1 to Place #6, inclusive, which shall be the same as the districts established by the Legislative Reapportionment Office in the document titled RUSSELL BOE 7 DISTRICTS PLAN 3, dated February 25, 2002. Only the qualified electors residing in a particular district may vote for the member representing that district. The seventh member shall be elected by a majority of the qualified electors of the county at-large, designated Place #7. Elections shall be conducted and the members shall take office in the same manner as currently provided by law.

Section II. (a)(1) A candidate for election as a district member of the board shall be a resident of the single-member district which he or she seeks to represent on the board for at least one year immediately preceding the deadline date for qualifying as a candidate, and shall reside in that district during the entire term of office.

(2) A candidate for election as an at-large member of the board shall be a resident of the county for at least one year immediately preceding the deadline date for qualifying as a candidate, and shall reside in the county during the entire term of office.

(3) A member appointed to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to general law shall be a resident of the county, and a resident of the district of the vacating member, where applicable.

(b)(1) The member elected in Place #3 and the member elected in Place #6 shall be elected at the general election in November 2006, and every six years thereafter.

(2) The member elected in Place #1 and the member elected in Place #7 shall be elected at the general election in November 2008, and every six years thereafter.

(3) The member elected in Place #2, the member elected in Place #4, and the member elected in Place #5 shall be elected at the general election in November 2010, and every six years thereafter.

(4) Members serving on the board upon the ratification of this amendment, including those members elected at the general election in November 2004 pursuant to Act 82-322, 1982 Regular Session (Acts 1982, p. 434), shall continue to serve on the board until the term for which they were originally elected expires. Such persons shall assume office at the same time as currently provided by law.

(c) If the boundaries of a district change, or if redistricting places an incumbent district board member outside of his or her district, the member shall nevertheless continue to serve the remainder of the term to which he or she was elected.

(d) The board, by majority vote, may change the boundaries of the single member districts and shall reapportion the districts as required by law utilizing the principle of equal representation. Pursuant to this subsection, the board may provide for single member election districts or at-large membership districts, or both.

Section III. The Legislature, by local law, from time to time may provide for the election of the members of the Russell County Board of Education and may provide further for the operation of the board. Such local act or acts may include, but are not limited to, providing for termination of the terms of members of the existing county board of education; the composition of the county board of education; initial and succeeding terms of office, including staggered terms; qualifications; powers, duties, and responsibilities; vacancies; and compensation.

Section IV. The Russell County Board of Education shall take necessary steps to ensure this amendment complies with the Federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, before any election is conducted pursuant to this amendment.

Amendment 750 ratified
Economic Development in Baldwin County.

For the promotion of local economic and industrial development, the Baldwin County Commission and the governing body of any municipality located therein, any other provision of law or of this Constitution notwithstanding, shall have, independently or in cooperation with one another, full and continuing power to do any of the following:

(1) Use public funds to purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire land, or to utilize land heretofore purchased or otherwise acquired, and improve and develop such land for use as sites for industry of any kind or as industrial park projects, including, but not limited to, grading and the construction of roads, drainage, sewers, sewage and waste disposal systems, parking areas, and utilities to serve such sites or projects.

(2) Lease, sell, grant, exchange, or otherwise convey, on terms approved by the governing body of the county or the municipality, as applicable, all or any part of any site or industrial park project to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, including any industrial development board or other public corporation or authority heretofore or hereafter created by the county or the municipality, for the purpose of constructing, developing, equipping, and operating industrial, commercial, research, or service facilities of any kind.

(3) Lend its credit to or grant public funds and things of value in aid of or to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, for the purpose of promoting the economic and industrial development of Baldwin County or the municipality.

In carrying out the purposes of this amendment, neither Baldwin County nor the municipality shall be subject to Section 93 or 94 of this Constitution. Each public corporation heretofore created by Baldwin County or by the municipality, including, specifically, any industrial development board incorporated under Chapter 54, Article 4, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, and any industrial development authority incorporated or reincorporated under Chapter 92A, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, is validated and the powers granted to such board or authority under its respective enabling legislation are validated notwithstanding any other provision of law or of this Constitution. The powers granted in this amendment may be exercised as an alternative to, or cumulative with, and in no way restrictive of, powers otherwise granted by law to the county, or to any municipality, or to any agency, board, or authority created pursuant to the laws of this state.

Baldwin County or any municipality located therein shall neither lend its credit to or grant any public funds or thing of value to or in aid of any private entity under the authority of this amendment unless prior thereto: (i) The action proposed to be taken by Baldwin County or the municipality is at a public meeting of the governing body of the county or municipality, as the case may be, by a resolution containing a determination by such governing body that the expenditure of public funds for such purpose will serve a valid and sufficient public purpose, notwithstanding any incidental benefit accruing to any private entity or entities; and (ii) at least seven days prior to the public meeting, a notice is published in the newspaper having the largest circulation in the county or in the municipality, as the case may be, describing in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken, a description of the public benefits sought to be achieved by such action, and identifying each individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity to whom or for whose benefit the county or the municipality proposes to lend its credit or grant public funds or thing of value. For purposes of the foregoing, any sale, lease, or other disposition of property for a price equal to the fair market value thereof shall not constitute the lending of credit or a grant of public funds or thing of value in aid of a private entity.

Amendment 751 ratified
Amendment of Amendment No.538

"Amendment No. 538

"Any provision of the Constitution of Alabama or amendments thereto to the contrary notwithstanding, the legislature by general or local law may provide for and authorize in Fayette County the incorporation of a public corporation as a political subdivision of the state to be named The Tom Bevill Reservoir Management Area Authority, for the development of that portion of North River in Fayette County and within the boundaries of The Tom Bevill Reservoir Management Area, its tributaries and watershed area, for the purposes of water conservation and supply, dam construction and reservoir development, for industrial development, flood control, navigation, irrigation, public recreation and related purposes. Any such law may provide for the composition of the board of directors of the authority and specify the powers and duties of the authority and its board of directors, may authorize the authority to investigate the resources of The Tom Bevill Reservoir Management Area, and to determine and implement the requirements for its full development and control, and to carry out a unified comprehensive program of resource development, together with other powers to effectuate the foregoing objective, may authorize the authority to acquire land and interests in land by purchase, construction, lease, condemnation or otherwise, and to hold, manage and sell such land and interests therein, may make provisions respecting the establishment and revision of rates, fees and charges for services rendered by the authority, may provide for the issuance by the authority for any of its corporate purposes of interest-bearing revenue bonds and notes payable solely out of the revenues of the authority or out of the revenues of any particular facilities and other property of the authority, without regard to the specific facilities and other property with respect to which such bonds and notes may have been issued, may provide further for certain taxes, may provide that such bonds and notes shall constitute negotiable instruments, may provide that such bonds and notes may be secured by a pledge of the revenues from which they are payable, by contracts binding the authority for the proper application of its revenues and the proceeds of such bonds and notes and by a nonforeclosable mortgage or deed of trust or statutory mortgage lien on the facilities and other property out of the revenues from which such bonds and notes are payable, and may provide that bonds and notes of the authority may be issued under a trust indenture, may provide for constructive notice of any such statutory mortgage lien, may authorize and make provisions respecting the assumption by the authority of obligations respecting facilities and other property acquired by the authority, may provide for the use of the proceeds of bonds and notes issued by the authority and provide for the refunding by the issuance of bonds and notes of the authority of bonds and notes theretofore issued or obligations theretofore assumed by it, may provide that bonds and notes issued and contracts entered into by the authority pursuant to the act shall not constitute or create a debt of the state or of any county, municipality or other political subdivision of the state, may authorize the Fayette County commission and the municipalities located within Fayette County to contribute money to the authority, without the necessity of an election and with or without consideration therefor, may exempt from all taxation in this state, the authority, its property, corporate activities, income, revenues, bonds and notes, the income from its bonds and notes, and conveyances, leases and mortgages and deeds of trust to which the authority is a party, and exempt the authority from payment of certain charges to judges of probate, it grants to the authority the power to levy and collect within the boundaries of the management area certain excise taxes, sales taxes, and ad valorem taxes, may provide that the authority shall have zoning power within the boundaries of the management area, may provide that the authority shall be exempted from regulation and supervision by the public service commission and the state department of finance, may provide for the use of public roads in the state by the authority, and may provide for certain annual reports by the authority. Notwithstanding any other provision of this constitution, the Tom Bevill Reservoir Management Area Authority may enter into contracts with and may accept grants from another authority organized pursuant to the laws of this state or federal laws and the contracts with or grants from another authority, including, but not limited to, any other authority authorized to issue general obligation bonds of this state, shall not constitute the extension of the state's credit in violation of Amendment No. 58 of the Constitution of 1901, or any other provision of this constitution or the laws of this state."

Amendment 752 ratified
Promotion of Commercial Development in City of Hartselle, Morgan County.

(a) For the promotion of local commercial development, the City of Hartselle (City) shall have, in addition to all other powers from time to time vested in or granted to it by law, full and continuing power to perform the following:

(1) Purchase, construct, lease, and otherwise acquire, and to own and develop, commercial projects, including real and personal property, buildings, facilities, machinery, and equipment of any kind whatsoever.

(2) Subject to succeeding provisions of this amendment, operate all or any part of any such project.

(3) Convey, whether by sale, lease, exchange, or otherwise, all or any part of any such project to any person, firm or corporation.

(4) Subject to succeeding provisions of this amendment, sell and issue, without any election, special or limited obligation bonds, warrants, notes, certificates of participation, or other securities of the City, for the purpose of financing the acquisition or construction of any such project, including particularly, but without limitation, the extension and installation of streets and roadways, utility services, and storm water sewers or other drainage facilities. In carrying out the purposes of this amendment, the City shall not be subject to the provisions of Section 94 of this Constitution, and neither the City nor the State of Alabama shall be subject to the provisions of Section 93 of this Constitution, in connection with the acquisition, ownership, development, operation, conveyance, or financing of any such commercial project.

(b) Nothing in this amendment shall, however, be construed to authorize the City to do any of the following:

(1) Acquire any property through the exercise of the power of eminent domain, whether for public use or for private use, otherwise than subject to, and in accordance with, all other applicable provisions of this Constitution and the general laws of the State.

(2) Operate any commercial or retail establishment, including, without limitation, any shopping center or similar facility suitable for use by two or more commercial enterprises engaged in any business, trade, profession, occupation, or activity, except that the City may operate restaurants, food and other concessions, and other incidental commercial or retail facilities, in connection with, and ancillary to, the operation by it of any of the facilities described in subsection (d).

(3) Provide electric utility service to any commercial project authorized hereunder, or within the boundaries of any "commercial development district," as defined in this amendment, except as may then be authorized by the general laws of the State.

(4) Construct or locate, or to authorize the construction or location of, any commercial project in violation of either the general laws of the state pertaining to municipal zoning and planning or any master plan or zoning regulation or plan then in effect in or for the City.

(c) Nothing in this amendment shall be construed either to exempt from state or local property taxation any real or personal property that is owned, or is treated for federal income tax purposes as being owned, by one or more individuals, partnerships, or for-profit corporations, and that is otherwise subject to such taxation under the general laws of the state, or to subject to state or local property taxation any real or personal property of the City that is otherwise exempt from taxation pursuant to either Section 91 or Section 217 of this Constitution.

(d) Any commercial project authorized hereunder shall be located entirely within the corporate limits of the City. Any such project may include any land or interest therein, any building or other improvement thereon, and all real and personal properties deemed necessary in connection therewith, whether or not now in existence, including, without limitation, any of the following:

(1) Any hotel, motel, conference center, meeting center, or convention facility, including, without limitation, facilities for meetings, auditoriums, exhibition halls, facilities for food preparation and serving, and facilities suitable for rental to persons engaged in any business, trade, profession, occupation, or activity, and administrative offices in connection therewith, but excluding specifically any home, apartment, town house, or condominium for residential purposes, and any public dormitory or student housing facility for any institution of higher learning.

(2) Any shopping center or similar facility suitable for use by two or more commercial enterprises engaged in any business, trade, profession, occupation, or activity.

(3) Any amusement park or entertainment facility, any recreational or athletic facility, and all buildings, facilities and improvements incident thereto or useful in connection therewith, including, without limitation, athletic fields, beaches, docks and marinas, and boating facilities.

(4) Any stadium, baseball field or park, arena, grandstand, auditorium, meeting hall, pavilion, amphitheater, or center for cultural entertainment, music, drama, exhibitions and exhibits, and any administrative building in connection therewith.

(5) Any infrastructure improvements of any sort, including, without limitation, parking facilities available for use in connection with any building, facility or property described hereinabove, electric, water, natural gas, and sanitary sewer utilities, storm water sewers and other drainage facilities, and public or private streets, roads, and parking facilities. It is expressly provided, however, that no commercial project authorized hereunder may include any facility or location for casino gambling or any other game of chance, or any facility or location for the conduct of any lottery or other similar enterprise, so long as such lottery or other enterprise is prohibited by other applicable law.

(d) Nothing in this amendment shall be construed to amend, modify, alter, or repeal the provisions of Amendment 599 to this Constitution, respecting the operation of bingo games in Morgan County.

(e) Prior to exercising any powers herein granted to the City with respect to a commercial project authorized hereunder, the governing body of the City, by ordinance or resolution, shall establish a "commercial development district" consisting of the site of such project and such geographic area contiguous thereto as may be described in such ordinance or resolution, and provide a legal description of the boundaries of such district; provided, that every such district shall be located entirely within the corporate limits of the City.

(f) Any securities issued under the authority of this amendment with respect to a commercial project authorized hereunder must be made payable solely out of, and shall be secured solely by a pledge of, (I) the amount by which (A) the proceeds of any municipal sales and use taxes collected by the City in each of its fiscal years, in or with respect to the commercial development district in which such project is situated, exceeds (B) the proceeds of such sales and use taxes collected by the City in or with respect to such district in the fiscal year of the City immediately preceding the fiscal year in which such district was established or such lesser portion of any such tax proceeds as may be specified by the governing body of the City in the proceedings of such governing body under which such securities are authorized to be issued.

No such securities, and no contract made by the City in connection with any commercial project authorized hereunder, whether or not such contract is made under the authority of this amendment, and whether or not any agreement or obligation for the payment of money under such contract is payable out of proceeds of the sales and use taxes, shall be considered indebtedness of the City within the meaning of Section 225 of this Constitution or bonds of the City within the meaning of either Section 222 or Section 104(17) of this Constitution.

(g) The City may apply the proceeds of any such securities for any or all of the following purposes:

(1) Pay costs of any project authorized hereunder.

(2) Fund any reserve fund established in connection with an issue of such securities if the City deems the establishment of such reserve fund to be necessary and desirable.

(3) Pay costs of obtaining credit enhancement for such securities.

(4) Pay costs of issuing such securities.

(5) Pay interest accruing on such securities prior to, during and for a period of not exceeding twelve months following the estimated completion of the acquisition or construction of such project.

(6) With respect to any refunding securities issued pursuant to the provisions of this amendment, pay debt service on, and the redemption price of, any securities to be refunded.

(h) The City may at any time and from time to time issue refunding securities for the purpose of refunding any other securities, including, without limitation, other refunding securities, issued pursuant to the provisions of this amendment and then outstanding, whether such refunding shall occur before, at or after the maturity of the securities to be refunded, and such refunding securities shall be governed by the provisions of this amendment as and to the same extent applicable to securities authorized hereinabove.

(i) All securities issued by the City under the authority of this amendment shall be sold at public or private sale, as the governing body of the City may determine; provided, that refunding securities issued hereunder may be issued in exchange for the instruments evidencing the securities to be refunded or they may be sold and the proceeds thereof applied to the purchase, redemption or payment of such instruments.

(j) This amendment shall be self-executing, and no further authorization from the Legislature shall be a prerequisite to the validity of any securities issued hereunder; but notwithstanding any contrary provision of either Section 104 or Section 105 of this Constitution, the Legislature shall have the power to enact general, special, or local laws supplemental hereto or in furtherance of the purposes hereof; provided, that no such special or local law shall be subject to the provisions of Section 106 of this Constitution.

(k) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of either Section 284 of this Constitution or Amendment 555 to this Constitution if the election on the ratification of this amendment is held on the date specified in the act of the Legislature under which this amendment was proposed for ratification, and all other applicable requirements of this Constitution, including, without limitation, Amendment 555, with respect to such election are satisfied in accordance with their respective terms.

Amendment 753 ratified
Costs and Charges of Courts in Conecuh County.

(a) In addition to any court costs or fees now or hereafter authorized, and notwithstanding any other provisions of the Constitution including, without limitation, Sections 96, 104, and 105, there shall be an additional forty dollars ($40) fee assessed and taxed as costs on each civil and criminal case, excluding small claims, filed in circuit court, district court, or any municipal court in Conecuh County, as well as a fee not to exceed five dollars ($5) for the service of all pleadings and other documents in connection with any such action or case. The fees may not be waived by any court unless all other fees, assessments, costs, fines, and charges associated with the cases are waived. The additional fees, when collected by the clerks or other collection officers of the courts, shall be paid into the General Fund of Conecuh County to be used by the county commission for the planning, designing, construction, financing, and operation of a new county jail. When the costs of the new county jail have been fully paid or when the debt service on any indebtedness incurred by the county commission to finance or refinance the costs have been retired, whichever occurs later, the additional fees authorized by this amendment shall continue to be collected in all cases and shall be used to pay costs of the operation, upkeep, and maintenance of a new county jail. This amendment shall be self-executing and shall require no enabling legislation.

(b) All special court fees that the county has been authorized to collect and has in fact collected since April 1998, for any purpose, may be allocated retroactively to the purpose established in subsection (b).

Amendment 754 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Pickens County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No person elected or appointed sheriff, or any elected or appointed Pickens County official may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed Pickens County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Pickens County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include, subject only to express limitation, any person holding an office that entitles the person to participate in a supernumerary program and includes any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed county official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, constable, legislator, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 755 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Tuscaloosa County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No person elected or appointed sheriff, or any elected or appointed Tuscaloosa County official may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed Tuscaloosa County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Tuscaloosa County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed county official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 756 ratified
Enforcement of Traffic Laws in Shelby County.

In Shelby County, the Legislature, by local law, may provide for the enforcement of traffic laws on private roads in private gated communities in the county.

Amendment 757 ratified
Promotion of Economic and Industrial Development in Barbour County.

For the promotion of local economic and industrial development, the Barbour County Commission and the governing body of any municipality located therein, any other provision of law or of this Constitution notwithstanding, shall have, independently or in cooperation with one another, full and continuing power to do any of the following:

(1) Use public funds to purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire land, or to utilize land heretofore purchased or otherwise acquired, and improve and develop such land for use as sites for industry of any kind or as industrial park projects, including, but not limited to, grading and the construction of roads, drainage, sewers, sewage and waste disposal systems, parking areas, and utilities to serve such sites or projects.

(2) Lease, sell, grant, exchange, or otherwise convey, on terms approved by the governing body of the county or the municipality, as applicable, all or any part of any site or industrial park project to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, including any industrial development board or other public corporation or authority heretofore or hereafter created by the county or the municipality, for the purpose of constructing, developing, equipping, and operating industrial, commercial, research, or service facilities of any kind.

(3) Lend its credit to or grant public funds and things of value in aid of or to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, for the purpose of promoting the economic and industrial development of Barbour County or the municipality.

In carrying out the purposes of this amendment, neither Barbour County nor the municipality shall be subject to Section 93 or 94 of this Constitution. Each public corporation heretofore created by Barbour County or by the municipality, including, specifically, any industrial development board incorporated under Chapter 54, Article 4, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, and any industrial development authority incorporated or reincorporated under Chapter 92A, Title ll of the Code of Alabama 1975, is validated and the powers granted to such board or authority under its respective enabling legislation are validated notwithstanding any other provision of law or of this Constitution. The powers granted in this amendment may be exercised as an alternative to, or cumulative with, and in no way restrictive of, powers otherwise granted by law to the county, or to any municipality, or to any agency, board, or authority created pursuant to the laws of this state.

Barbour County or any municipality located therein shall not lend its credit to or grant any public funds or thing of value to or in aid of any private entity under the authority of this amendment unless prior thereto: (i) The action proposed to be taken by Barbour County or the municipality is at a public meeting of the governing body of the county or municipality, as the case may be, by a resolution containing a determination by such governing body that the expenditure of public funds for such purpose will serve a valid and sufficient public purpose, notwithstanding any incidental benefit accruing to any private entity or entities; and (ii) at least seven days prior to the public meeting, a notice is published in a newspaper or newspapers having a general circulation in the county or in the municipality, as the case may be, describing in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken, a description of the public benefits sought to be achieved by such action, and identifying each individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity to whom or for whose benefit the county or the municipality proposes to lend its credit or grant public funds or thing of value. For purposes of the foregoing, any sale, lease, or other disposition of property for a price equal to the fair market value thereof shall not constitute the lending of credit or a grant of public funds or thing of value in aid of a private entity.

Amendment 758 ratified
Jurisdiction of Judge of Probate in Shelby County.

The Judge of Probate of Shelby County may exercise equity jurisdiction concurrent with that of the circuit court in cases originally filed in the Probate Court of Shelby County if the judge of probate is licensed to practice law in the State of Alabama. In any case subject to this amendment, the judge of probate shall possess the power and authority of a circuit court judge trying the case and the case shall be treated in all respects in the same manner as a case filed in circuit court. The Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure shall apply in the cases except as otherwise specifically provided by law. This amendment is self-executing, but the Legislature may enact additional laws to implement this amendment if needed.

Amendment 759 ratified
Promotion of Economic and Industrial Development in Certain Counties.

For the promotion of local economic and industrial development, the governing body of Baldwin, Bullock, Coffee, Coosa, Dallas, Etowah, Geneva, Houston, Jefferson, Lawrence, Macon, Marengo, Mobile, Morgan, Talladega, Madison, Shelby, and Tuscaloosa counties and of each municipality situated in said counties, other provisions of law or this Constitution notwithstanding, shall each have, independently or in cooperation with one or more of such governmental entities in such counties, full and continuing power (a) to purchase, lease or otherwise acquire, land, or to utilize land heretofore purchased or otherwise acquired, and to improve and develop such land for use as industrial site, or industrial park, projects, including, but not limited to, grading and the construction of roads, drainage, sewers, sewage and waste disposal systems, parking areas and utilities to serve said projects, and (b) to lease, sell, grant, exchange, or otherwise convey, on terms approved by the governing body of the county, or of municipality exercising such power, all, or any part of, any such project to any person, firm or corporation, public or private, including to any industrial development board or authority heretofore or hereafter created by any such county or municipality therein, for the purpose of the constructing, or developing thereon, by such purchaser or lessees, and the equipping and operating of, industrial, transportation, distribution, warehouse or research facilities, and of office and other facilities auxiliary to the foregoing. Nothing herein shall authorize the counties named, or any municipality there, to construct residential or any other buildings for the purpose of lease or sale.

In carrying out the purposes of this amendment, neither the governing bodies of the counties named hereinabove, nor of any municipality situated in said counties to which this amendment is or becomes applicable, shall be subject to the provisions of sections 93 or 94 of the Constitution of Alabama, as amended. The provisions of this amendment shall be self-executing and the powers granted hereby may be exercised as alternative to, or cumulative with, and in no way restrictive of, powers otherwise granted by law to the governing body of such counties, or of any municipality therein, or to any agency, board, or authority created or approved thereby pursuant to this Constitution or the laws of this state.

The names and addresses of all parties involved in conveyances of land herein provided, and the amount of any monies paid or received, shall be published in the newspaper in the county with the largest circulation.

This amendment shall not be construed to grant any power of eminent domain in addition to that which may be provided otherwise by statute heretofore or hereafter enacted by the legislature of Alabama; nor shall this amendment be construed to affect the annexation statutes heretofore or hereafter enacted by said legislature.

Furthermore, no county or municipality shall sell any real property acquired under the authority hereof for a price less than its actual purchase and development cost of such property, unless:

(a) The price be approved at a public meeting of the governing body of such county or municipality; and

(b) At least fourteen (14) days prior to such public meeting at which such price is approved by such governing body, it has published notice in the newspaper with the largest circulation in the county in which the property is located stating (1) the acreage proposed to be sold, (2) the section or sections or subdivisions of record in which the property is located, (3) the price per acre at which sale is proposed to be made, and (4) the place where a map of the property can be examined by the public; and

(c) The price thus approved is no less than the price advertised as aforesaid; provided, however, that should any real property be acquired for any purpose authorized by this amendment by eminent domain pursuant to other legislative authority as aforesaid, such property shall not be sold, in any event, for less than the price determined and paid pursuant to the orders of the court in such condemnation proceedings. Provided further, that no municipality shall acquire real property in unincorporated areas without a prior consent thereto as expressed in a resolution by the county governing body. Provided further, that no county or municipality shall acquire real property which is located in another county or municipality without such other county's or municipality's prior consent thereto as expressed in a resolution by its governing body. Nothing in the provisions of this constitutional amendment shall be construed to allow construction of dormitories or other type housing on or off university or college campuses.

Amendment 760 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Hale County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No person elected or appointed sheriff, or any elected or appointed Hale County official may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed Hale County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Hale County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed county official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 761 ratified
Promotion of Economic and Industrial Development in Etowah County.

Promotion of Economic and Industrial Development in Etowah County and any Municipality Located Therein.

(a) For the promotion of local economic and industrial development within Etowah County and any municipality located therein, any other provisions of law or the Constitution of Alabama of 1901 notwithstanding, the county and any municipality located therein shall have, without an election, full and continuing power to do any or all of the following:

(1) To purchase, construct, lease or otherwise acquire real property, plants, buildings, factories, works, facilities, machinery, and equipment of any kind.

(2) To lease, sell for cash or on credit, exchange, give, transfer, or convey any such property described in subdivision (1) above to any person, firm, association, or corporation.

(3) To promote local industrial, commercial, or agricultural development and the location of new industries or businesses therein.

(4) To lend its credit or to grant public moneys and things of value in aid of, or to any individual, firm, association, or corporation whatsoever.

(5) To become indebted and to issue and sell interest-bearing bonds, warrants (which may be payable from funds to be realized in future years), notes or other obligations or evidences of indebtedness, to a principal amount not exceeding 50 percent of the assessed value of taxable property therein, as determined for state taxation, in order to secure funds for the purchase, construction, lease, or acquisition of any of the property described in subdivision (1) or to be used in furtherance of any of the other powers or authorities granted in this amendment. Such obligations or evidences of indebtedness may be issued upon the full faith and credit of Etowah County or such municipality or may be limited as to the source of their payment.

(6) To create a public authority, corporation, agency, or board having such powers, managed and governed by such board or governing body and subject to such limitations as the governing body of Etowah County or such municipality may impose, by approving and filing a certificate to that effect in the office of the Judge of Probate of Etowah County or the Secretary of State, or their respective successors in function, and to delegate to such public authority, corporation, agency, or board and its board or governing body all powers and authority conferred in this amendment upon the governing body of Etowah County or such municipality.

(7) To delegate all powers and authority conferred in this amendment upon the governing body of Etowah County or such municipality to an existing public authority, corporation, agency, or board having similar powers to those provided herein, which public authority, corporation, agency, or board is managed and governed by a board or governing body and is subject to such limitations as the governing body of Etowah County or such municipality may have imposed or, subsequent to the ratification of this amendment, may impose.

(b) The powers granted in this amendment may be exercised as an alternative to, or cumulative with, and are not in derogation of, the powers otherwise granted by law or the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to the governing body of Etowah County or such municipality, or to any public authority, corporation, agency, or board created or approved thereby pursuant to the laws of this state and the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, and nothing in this amendment shall be deemed to have repealed any powers of the governing body of Etowah County or such municipality or any such public authority, corporation, agency, or board that have previously been granted to the governing body of Etowah County or such municipality or any such public authority, corporation, agency, or board including, without limitation, those contained within Amendment No. 429 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901.

(c) The recital in any bonds, warrants, notes, or other obligations or evidences of indebtedness that they were issued pursuant to this amendment or that they were issued to provide funds to be used in furtherance of any power or authority herein authorized shall be conclusive, and no purchaser or holder thereof need inquire further. The bonds, warrants, notes, or other obligations or evidences or indebtedness issued hereunder shall not be considered an indebtedness of Etowah County or such municipality for the purpose of determining the borrowing capacity of Etowah County or such municipality under Section 224 or Section 225 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901.

(d) In carrying out the purposes of this amendment, neither the governing body of Etowah County, such municipality, nor any public authority, corporation, agency, or board delegated the powers set forth herein, shall be subject to the provisions of Section 93 or Section 94 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901. This amendment shall be self-executing, but notwithstanding any contrary provisions of Section 104 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, the Legislature shall have the right and power by general, special, or local act to adopt laws supplemental to this amendment or in furtherance of the purposes and objectives hereinabove set forth. No such general, special, or local act shall be subject to the provisions of Section 106 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901.

Amendment 762 ratified
Amendment to Amendment No. 648.

Amendment No. 648 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, is amended to read as follows:

"Amendment No. 648.

"No elected Mobile County official, including the sheriff, may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Any elected Mobile County official, including the sheriff, may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. An elected Mobile County official holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office; provided, however, the official shall forego the assumption of a supernumerary office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected Mobile County official" shall mean any person elected to a full-time Mobile County office, including the sheriff, and shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected county official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, any official elected from a judicial circuit, or any official who is allowed by law to participate in any other retirement system."

Amendment 763 ratified
'''Amendment to Amendment No. 718. Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Blount County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.'''

Amendment No. 718.

"No elected or appointed Blount County official may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed Blount County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system; provided, the official shall forego the assumption of a supernumerary office. Blount County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office; provided, however, that costs associated with the purchase of prior service credit as prescribed in Section 36-27-6.1, shall be the responsibility of the official making the purchase. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed county official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit."

Amendment 764 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Monroe County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No person elected or appointed sheriff, or any elected or appointed Monroe County official may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every sheriff and elected or appointed Monroe County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Monroe County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office; provided, however, the official shall forego the assumption of a supernumerary office. The sheriff at the time of ratification of this amendment shall not be prohibited from receiving the benefits of vested contributions made prior to his or her election if he or she chooses the supernumerary program. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed county official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 765 ratified
Amendment to Amendment No. 649.

Amendment 649 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, is amended to read as follows:

"(a) In addition to all other ad valorem taxes levied, the Pickens County Commission may levy on an annual basis, commencing with the tax year beginning October 1, 1998, an ad valorem tax on all taxable property, located in Pickens County at a rate of three mills per dollar of assessed value of the taxable property. The proceeds of the tax levied pursuant to this amendment shall be paid into the county general fund and distributed for the benefit of fire protection only.

"(b) Within 30 days of payment into the county general fund, the county commission shall pay the funds to the Pickens County Volunteer Firefighters' Association. The county association shall divide the funds equally among all eligible volunteer fire departments, collectively, and the Pickens County Volunteer Firefighters' Association at each bimonthly meeting of the county association. The county association may establish rules regarding the transfer, investing, accounting, and handling of the funds.

"(c) Funds paid to eligible volunteer fire departments shall only be expended for fire protection services, including training, supplies, buildings, capital improvements, and equipment. An eligible volunteer fire department shall mean a volunteer fire department located in Pickens County that is certified under the guidelines of the Alabama Forestry Commission, shall have at least an ISO class 9 rating, and is a member in good standing of the Pickens County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments. The funds may not be expended for salaries, food, drink, social activities, or fund-raising activities. After receiving funds, the eligible volunteer fire departments shall keep accurate records to verify that the funds were properly expended. By September 15th of each year, each department shall file a form with the county association detailing the expenditures of all funds during the previous 12 months and setting out a schedule of all proposed projects. The filing shall also account for all unspent funds and whether the unspent funds have been obligated. The county association shall supply the accounting forms to each eligible volunteer fire department.

"(d) Upon dissolution or abandonment of any eligible volunteer fire department, any remaining funds shall, after all indebtedness has been satisfied, be transferred to the county association.

"(e) The personnel of eligible volunteer fire departments shall not be considered as employees, servants, or agents of the county and the members of the county commission and the employees of the county shall not be liable in either their official capacity or in a private capacity for the actions of the personnel of eligible volunteer fire departments."

Amendment 766 ratified
Organization and Promotion of Shrimp and Seafood Industry.

The Legislature, by general law, may provide for the promotion of the production, distribution, improvement, marketing, use, and sale of shrimp and seafood. The Legislature may provide for the promotion of shrimp and seafood and shrimp and seafood products by research, education, advertising, and other methods, and the Legislature is further authorized to provide the means and methods for the financing of any promotional activity by prescribing a procedure whereby producers of shrimp and seafood by referendum among such producers levy upon themselves and collect assessments, fees, or charges upon the sale of shrimp and seafood for the financing of any promotional program or activity in cooperation with buyers, processors, dealers, distributors, and handlers of shrimp and seafood. The Legislature may make provisions for the nonpayment of assessments by shrimp and seafood producers and shall make provisions for the refund of assessments to any handler of shrimp or seafood who does not desire to participate in an assessment program.

The Legislature shall provide for the collection, disbursement, distribution, or expenditure of assessments or charges authorized hereunder and provide penalties for failure to make collection and distribution of assessments. The Legislature shall provide for the designation of a nonprofit association or organization for the promotion and betterment of shrimp and seafood products to administer and carry out such promotional program which shall include the conducting of elections or referendums among producers of shrimp and seafood. The Legislature may provide the manner by which the referendum is held, including the procedure for application for approval to conduct the referendum, the appropriate action to be taken by the State Board of Agriculture and Industries on an application, and the requirements and eligibility of the association or organization which will conduct the referendum. The Legislature shall further provide for the deposit, withdrawal, disbursement, and expenditure by the designated association of any funds received subject to the supervision and control of the activities as authorized herein by the Department of Agriculture and Industries and the State Board of Agriculture and Industries. The Legislature shall further provide a procedure whereby the association or organization is bonded, for the examination and auditing of the association or organization, and for reasonably necessary rules and regulations to be adopted by the State Board of Agriculture and Industries to effectively carry out the intent and purposes herein enumerated. Assessments, fees, or other charges collected as authorized by any legislative act adopted under authority hereof shall not be considered as a tax within the meaning of this constitution and shall be satisfied by the application of the program upon shrimp or seafood.

Amendment 767 ratified
Conecuh County Reservoir Management Area Authority.

Any provision of the Constitution of Alabama or amendments thereto to the contrary notwithstanding, the legislature by general or local law may provide for and authorize in Conecuh County the incorporation of a public corporation as a political subdivision of the state to be named the Conecuh County Reservoir Management Area Authority, for the development of that portion of Murder Creek in Conecuh County and within the Conecuh County Reservoir Management Area, its tributaries and watershed area, for the purposes of water conservation and supply, dam construction and reservoir development, for industrial development, flood control, navigation, irrigation, public recreation and related purposes. The law may provide for the composition of the board of directors of the authority and specify the powers and duties of the authority and its board of directors, may provide for the boundaries and authorize the authority to investigate the resources of the Conecuh County Reservoir Management Area, and to determine and implement the requirements for its full development and control, and to carry out a unified comprehensive program of resource development, together with other powers to effectuate the foregoing objective, may authorize the authority to acquire land and interests in land by purchase, construction, lease, condemnation, or otherwise, and to hold, manage, and sell land and interests therein, may make provisions respecting the establishment and revision of rates, fees, and charges for services rendered by the authority, may provide for the issuance by the authority for any of its corporate purposes of interest-bearing revenue bonds and notes payable solely out of the revenues of the authority or out of the revenues of any particular facilities and other property of the authority, without regard to the specific facilities and other property with respect to which the bonds and notes may have been issued, may provide further for certain taxes, may provide that the bonds and notes shall constitute negotiable instruments, may provide that the bonds and notes may be secured by a pledge of the revenues from which they are payable, by contracts binding the authority for the proper application of its revenues and the proceeds of such bonds and notes and by a nonforeclosable mortgage or deed of trust or statutory mortgage lien on the facilities and other property out of the revenues from which the bonds and notes are payable, and may provide that bonds and notes of the authority may be issued under a trust indenture, may provide for constructive notice of any statutory mortgage lien, may authorize and make provisions respecting the assumption by the authority of obligations respecting facilities and other property acquired by the authority, may provide for the use of the proceeds of bonds and notes issued by the authority and provide for the refunding by the issuance of bonds and notes of the authority of bonds and notes theretofore issued or obligations theretofore assumed by it, may provide that bonds and notes issued and contracts entered into by the authority pursuant to the act shall not constitute or create a debt of the state or of any county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state, may authorize the Conecuh County Commission and the municipalities located within Conecuh County to contribute money to the authority, without the necessity of an election and with or without consideration therefor, may exempt from all taxation in this state, the authority, its property, corporate activities, income, revenues, bonds and notes, the income from its bonds and notes, and conveyances, leases, and mortgages and deeds of trust to which the authority is a party, and exempt the authority from payment of certain charges to judges of probate, may grant to the authority the power to levy and collect within the boundaries of the management area certain excise taxes, sales taxes, and ad valorem taxes, may provide that the authority shall have zoning power within the boundaries of the management area, may provide that the authority shall be exempt from regulation and supervision by the Public Service Commission and the state Department of Finance, may provide for the use of public roads in the state by the authority, and may provide for certain annual reports by the authority. Notwithstanding any other provision of this constitution, the Conecuh County Reservoir Management Area Authority may enter into contracts with and may accept grants from another authority organized pursuant to the laws of this state or federal laws and the contracts with or grants from another authority, including, but not limited to, any other authority authorized to issue general obligation bonds of this state, shall not constitute the extension of the state's credit in violation of Amendment No. 58 of the Constitution of 1901, or any other provision of this constitution or the laws of this state.

Amendment 768 ratified
'''Amendment to Amendment No. 631. Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Clarke County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.'''

Amendment No. 631.

"No elected Clarke County official may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established the particular supernumerary program. Any elected Clarke County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. An elected Clarke County official holding office at the effective date of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the elected county official has served in the current office; provided, however, the elected county official shall forego the assumption of a supernumerary office. For purposes of this amendment, the term "elected Clarke County official" shall mean any person elected to a Clarke County office, and shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected county official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, board of education member, any official elected from a judicial circuit, or any official who is allowed by law to participate in any other retirement system."

Amendment 769 ratified
Alabama Foreign Trade Investment Zone in City of Tuskegee, Macon County.

(a) The governing body of the City of Tuskegee in Macon County, Alabama, by a majority vote thereof at a regularly scheduled meeting of the governing body, may establish an Alabama Foreign Trade Investment Zone within the city as a special tax district for the purpose of importing duty free and quota free articles eligible under the United States General System of Preferences and the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act to enhance economic development and job opportunities within the City of Tuskegee and Macon County. The governing body of the City of Tuskegee shall specify that the value of land and improvements within the tax district shall be assessed for ad valorem tax purposes by the appropriate county tax officials according to a single site valuation system where land and improvements on the land are valued together rather than separately and taxed at a uniform rate. The proceeds of any revenue collected pursuant to this amendment shall be used by the special tax district for infrastructure creation, improvements, or redesign.

(b) The Legislature may provide by local law for the implementation and administration of the special tax district authorized by this amendment and may further provide for the abolition of the tax district upon the adoption of a resolution by a majority vote of the city governing body calling for the tax district to be abolished.

Amendment 770 ratified
Bonds for Land and Capital Improvements in Mobile County.

In addition to all other bonds authorized under the amendment to the Constitution known as Amendment 18, as previously amended, and as it may hereafter be amended, Mobile County may at any time and from time to time issue its bonds for the acquisition and improvement of land and for acquisition, construction, installation, and equipping, or any of them, of capital improvements in said county. Such capital improvements may include any type of capital projects the acquisition, improvement, construction, installation, and equipping of which is within the powers of the county. Provided, that any bonds may be issued hereunder only after a majority of the qualified electors of said county voting at an election called for that purpose by the governing body of said county shall have voted in favor of the issuance of such bonds. Each such election shall be called, held, conducted, and canvassed, and notice thereof shall be given, in the manner provided by the general laws of Alabama respecting elections on the issue of bonds by counties, as such laws may exist at the time such election is called; provided, that prior to the holding of any election hereunder, the governing body of Mobile County shall cause to be prepared engineering maps, plans and reports respecting the proposed work on any capital improvements and shall adopt a resolution containing a brief description, including the name if any, of each proposed item of construction or improvement, a statement of the location and, as to any road project, the length, of each such item and of the estimated cost thereof, and a statement of the total amount of the bonds proposed to be issued for all work of construction or improvement described in said resolution, and shall cause said resolution to be published in a newspaper published in the county one time not less than thirty days before such election. Any number of items of construction or improvement may be described in one resolution; and the question of the issuance of bonds and the levy and collection of said tax with respect to all of the work described in each resolution shall be submitted to the voters in one single proposition at any election held hereunder. Any number of such resolutions may be adopted on the same day, and any number of propositions may be submitted to the voters on the same day. The adoption of any such resolution prior to the ratification of this amendment, and the submission of any one or more propositions for approval by the voters of the county on the same day on which this amendment is presented for ratification, is hereby ratified and approved.

The bonds issued hereunder shall be general obligations of Mobile County secured by a pledge of its full faith and credit, and in addition thereto, the governing body of said county shall in the proceedings providing for the issuance of such bonds specially pledge for payment of the principal thereof and the interest thereon, so much of the special tax authorized by Amendment 18, as such amendment has been amended from time to time, as may be necessary to pay said principal and interest at their respective maturities. Each such pledge of the special tax made for the benefit of the bonds issued hereunder shall be on a parity with all valid pledges of said special tax theretofore or thereafter made for the benefit of bonds issued hereunder or under any other constitutional amendment, to such extent as shall not impair the obligations of any then existing valid pledges. Except as herein otherwise provided, all bonds issued hereunder shall be issued in accordance with, and shall be subject to, the provisions of the general laws of Alabama respecting the sale, execution, issuance, and redemption of bonds by counties, as such laws may exist at the time of the delivery of such bonds.

Bonds may be issued under this amendment in one or more series and may be sold at either public or private sale in such manner, at such price or prices and at such time or times as may be determined by the governing body of the county to be most advantageous. The principal of each series of bonds issued under this amendment shall mature not later than thirty (30) years after the date of the bonds of that series and otherwise may mature in such amounts during each fiscal year without regard to the limitations set forth in the amendment to the Constitution known as Amendment 152; provided, that the maturities of each series of bonds issued under this Amendment shall be arranged so that the aggregate amount of principal and interest that will mature in any one fiscal year with respect to that series of bonds, and also all other bonds theretofore issued by the county and then outstanding that are payable out of or secured by a pledge of the aforesaid special tax, shall not exceed the amount of the proceeds collected from the special tax during the then next preceding tax year. Except as herein otherwise provided, all bonds issued under this amendment shall be issued in accordance with, and shall be subject to, the provisions of the general laws of the state existing at the time of the issuance of such bonds respecting the sale, execution, issuance and redemption of bonds by counties. The indebtedness evidenced by the bonds issued under this amendment or under any other amendment to the Constitution which are payable out of or are secured by a pledge of the special tax shall be in addition to and shall not be charged against the limitation on the indebtedness of the county provided for in Section 224 of the Constitution.

The total principal amount of bonds at any time issued hereunder, when added to the principal amount of all then outstanding bonds theretofore issued hereunder and of all the outstanding bonds theretofore issued under any other constitutional amendment that are payable from or secured by the said special tax, shall not exceed six and one-half per centum (6 1/2%) of the assessed valuation of the taxable property situated in said county, as assessed for state taxation for the then preceding state tax year. The limitation of six and one-half per centum (6 1/2%) of the assessed value of taxable property in the county, hereinabove provided for, is applicable only to the amount of bonds that may be outstanding immediately following the delivery of each series of bonds issued hereunder and shall not restrict the total amount of bonds that may be from time to time issued hereunder.

So long as the principal of or interest on any of the bonds issued under this amendment remains unpaid, the governing body of the county shall continue the levy of the aforesaid special tax at such rate as may be sufficient to pay the said principal and interest at their respective maturities; provided, that the total rate of said special tax that may be levied and collected for payment of the said bonds and all other bonds payable out of or secured by a pledge of said special tax shall not exceed the rate at which the county may levy the special tax as fixed under the amendment to the Constitution known as Amendment 447, except to the extent that the said rate may be increased pursuant to provisions of this Constitution hereafter adopted.

The provisions of this amendment shall be self-executing, and the enactment of local legislation shall not be a prerequisite to the taking of any action hereunder by the said county and its governing body; and no local legislation at any time adopted with respect to this amendment shall be effective, and all such local legislation is hereby repealed.

Amendment 771 ratified
Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Madison County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.

No elected or appointed Madison County official may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed Madison County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Madison County officials holding office at the time of ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office. No person may participate in both a supernumerary program and the Employees' Retirement System based on the same service. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed Madison County official" include, subject only to express limitation, any person elected to represent Madison County in any representative body of the state and includes any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed Madison County official. The words do not include a judge, district attorney, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 772 ratified
Promotion of Economic and Industrial Development by County Commission.

(a) The governing body of any county, and the governing body of any municipality located therein, for which a local constitutional amendment has not been adopted authorizing any of the following, shall have full and continuing power to do any of the following&colon;

(1) Use public funds to purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire real property, buildings, plants, factories, facilities, machinery, and equipment of any kind, or to utilize the properties heretofore purchased or otherwise acquired, and improve and develop the properties for use as sites for industry of any kind or as industrial park projects, including, but not limited to, grading and the construction of roads, drainage, sewers, sewage and waste disposal systems, parking areas, and utilities to serve the sites or projects.

(2) Lease, sell, grant, exchange, or otherwise convey, on terms approved by the governing body of the county or the municipality, as applicable, all or any part of any real property, buildings, plants, factories, facilities, machinery, and equipment of any kind or industrial park project to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, including any industrial development board or other public corporation or authority heretofore or hereafter created by the county or the municipality, for the purpose of constructing, developing, equipping, and operating industrial, commercial, research, or service facilities of any kind.

(3) Lend its credit to or grant public funds and things of value in aid of or to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, for the purpose of promoting the economic and industrial development of the county or the municipality.

(4) Become indebted and issue bonds, warrants which may be payable from funds to be realized in future years, notes, or other obligations, or evidences of indebtedness to a principal amount not exceeding 50 percent of the assessed value of taxable property therein as determined for state taxation, in order to secure funds for the purchase, construction, lease, or acquisition of any of the property described in subdivision (1) or to be used in furtherance of any of the other powers or authorities granted in this amendment. The obligations or evidences of indebtedness may be issued upon the full faith and credit of the county or any municipality or may be limited as to the source of their payment.

The recital in any bonds, warrants, notes, or other obligations or evidences of indebtedness that they were issued pursuant to this amendment or that they were issued to provide funds to be used in furtherance of any power or authority herein authorized shall be conclusive, and no purchaser or holder thereof need inquire further. The bonds, warrants, notes, or other obligations or evidences of indebtedness issued hereunder shall not be considered an indebtedness of the county or any municipality for the purpose of determining the borrowing capacity of the county or municipality under this Constitution.

(b) In carrying out the purpose of this amendment, neither the county nor any municipality located therein shall be subject to Section 93 or 94 of this Constitution. Each public corporation heretofore created by the county or by any municipality located therein, including specifically any industrial development board incorporated under Article 4 of Chapter 54 of Title 11 of the Code of Alabama 1975, and any industrial development authority incorporated or reincorporated under Chapter 92A of Title 11 of the Code of Alabama 1975, and the Shoals Economic Development Authority enacted under Act No. 95-512, 1995 Regular Session, are validated and the powers granted to the board or authority under its respective enabling legislation are validated notwithstanding any other provision of law or of this Constitution. The powers granted by this amendment may be exercised as an alternative to, or cumulative with, and in no way restrictive of, powers otherwise granted by law to the county, or to any municipality, or to any agency, board, or authority created pursuant to the laws of this state.

(c) Neither the county nor any municipality located therein shall lend its credit to or grant any public funds or thing of value to or in aid of any private entity under the authority of this amendment unless prior thereto both of the following are satisfied&colon;

(1) The action proposed to be taken by the county or municipality is approved at a public meeting of the governing body of the county or municipality, as the case may be, by a resolution containing a determination by the governing body that the expenditure of public funds for the purpose specified will serve a valid and sufficient public purpose, notwithstanding any incidental benefit accruing to any private entity or entities.

(2) At least seven days prior to the public meeting, a notice is published in the newspaper having the largest circulation in the county or municipality, as the case may be, describing in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken, a description of the public benefits sought to be achieved by the action, and identifying each individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity to whom or for whose benefit the county or the municipality proposes to lend its credit or grant public funds or thing of value.

For purposes of the foregoing, any sale, lease, or other disposition of property for a price equal to the fair market value thereof shall not constitute the lending of credit or a grant of public funds or thing of value in aid of a private entity.

Nothing in this amendment shall authorize the county commission to own or operate a cable television system.

(d) This amendment shall have prospective application only. Any local constitutional amendments previously adopted and any local law enacted pursuant to such amendment shall remain in full force and effect.

Amendment 773 ratified
Repeal of Amendment 144.

Amendment 144 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, relating to Colbert County, is repealed.

Amendment 774 ratified
Sanctity of Marriage Amendment.

(a) This amendment shall be known and may be cited as the Sanctity of Marriage Amendment.

(b) Marriage is inherently a unique relationship between a man and a woman. As a matter of public policy, this state has a special interest in encouraging, supporting, and protecting this unique relationship in order to promote, among other goals, the stability and welfare of society and its children. A marriage contracted between individuals of the same sex is invalid in this state.

(c) Marriage is a sacred covenant, solemnized between a man and a woman, which, when the legal capacity and consent of both parties is present, establishes their relationship as husband and wife, and which is recognized by the state as a civil contract.

(d) No marriage license shall be issued in the State of Alabama to parties of the same sex.

(e) The State of Alabama shall not recognize as valid any marriage of parties of the same sex that occurred or was alleged to have occurred as a result of the law of any jurisdiction regardless of whether a marriage license was issued.

(f) The State of Alabama shall not recognize as valid any common law marriage of parties of the same sex.

(g) A union replicating marriage of or between persons of the same sex in the State of Alabama or in any other jurisdiction shall be considered and treated in all respects as having no legal force or effect in this state and shall not be recognized by this state as a marriage or other union replicating marriage.

Amendment 775 ratified
Blount County; Sheriff-Employees

Effective the first day of the sixth month after the date of the election on the ratification of this amendment, employees of the Office of the Sheriff of Blount County, except for the chief deputy and chief clerks, are subject to the authority of the Merit System Board of Blount County, or its successor.

Amendment 776 ratified
'''Amendment to Amendment No. 632. Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Cleburne County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.'''

Amendment No. 632 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 3, Local Amendments, Cleburne County, Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, is amended to read as follows:

"Amendment No. 632.

" No elected or appointed Cleburne County official may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed Cleburne County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Cleburne County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office. No person may participate in both a supernumerary program and the Employees' Retirement System based on the same service. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed Cleburne County official" include, subject only to express limitation, any person elected to represent Cleburne County in any representative body of the state and includes any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed Cleburne County official. The words do not include a judge, district attorney, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 777 ratified
'''Amendment to Amendment No. 630. Phase-out of Supernumerary Programs in Cherokee County; Participation in Employees' Retirement System.'''

Amendment No. 630 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 3, Local Amendments, Cherokee County, Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, is amended to read as follows:

"Amendment No. 630.

" No elected or appointed Cherokee County official may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed Cherokee County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Cherokee County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office. No person may participate in both a supernumerary program and the Employees' Retirement System based on the same service. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed Cherokee County official" include, subject only to express limitation, any person elected to represent Cherokee County in any representative body of the state and includes any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed Cherokee County official. The words do not include a judge, district attorney, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 778 ratified
Minimum ad valorem tax rate for general school purposes.

(a) There is hereby authorized and there shall be levied and collected for general public school purposes, for the ad valorem tax year commencing October 1, 2006, and for each ad valorem tax year thereafter, in each school district of the state, in addition to all other taxes, a special ad valorem school property tax at a rate equal to the difference between ten dollars on each one thousand dollars of taxable property in such district and the sum of the rates per thousand of all the ad valorem property taxes described in Section (b) hereof otherwise levied and collected for general public school purposes in such school district and required or permitted by the terms of this amendment to be taken into account for purposes of determining the rate of said tax. The County Commission or other like governing body of each county in the State is hereby directed to compute and determine annually the rate or rates of, and to levy and collect in and for the benefit of each school district within such county, the additional ad valorem property tax authorized hereby, in compliance with the provisions of this amendment. The proceeds from said tax shall not, any provisions of any law or of this constitution to the contrary notwithstanding, be subject to any fees, charges or commissions for assessment or collection by any person whatever, it being the intent hereof that the full amounts of the proceeds of said tax collected shall be used for general public school purposes.

(b) The following described ad valorem property taxes, to the extent the use of the proceeds thereof is not lawfully restricted, earmarked or otherwise designated for a purpose or purposes more particular than general public school purposes, now or hereafter levied and collected in each school district of the State, shall be taken into account annually in determining the rate of the tax required to be levied each year pursuant to the provisions of Section (a) of this amendment:

(1) countywide ad valorem property taxes levied and collected for public school or educational purposes under the provisions of Section 269 of, or Amendments 3 or 202 [§§269.01 through 269.04] to, the Constitution of Alabama of 1901 or any amendment thereto adopted subsequent to the adoption of this amendment similarly authorizing the levy of such taxes,

(2) countywide ad valorem property taxes levied and collected for public school or educational purposes,

(3) that portion, expressed as an ad valorem tax millage rate, of any local countywide ad valorem property tax or taxes levied and collected in any county of the state for general purposes that is paid or required to be distributed to or used for the benefit of the respective public school system or systems of the county to which the school district has reference, and that is designated by official action of the taxing authority levying the same as creditable for purposes of Section (a) of this amendment, provided that any such portion of such tax once so designated may not thereafter be designated for other than general school purposes and shall be recorded as a school tax that may be levied and collected without limit as to time,

(4) school district ad valorem property taxes levied and collected under the provisions of Amendments 3 or 382 to the Constitution of 1901 [§§269.01 through 269.04], or the provisions of any constitutional amendment applicable only to the county (or part thereof) in which the school district is located authorizing the levy of an ad valorem property tax in the school district, and

(5) any ad valorem property taxes otherwise levied by and collected in any municipality of the state for public school purposes the proceeds of which are paid or required to be used for the benefit of the school system of such municipality, and that are designated by the taxing authority levying the tax as creditable for purposes of Section (a) of this amendment, provided that any such tax once so designated may not thereafter be designated for other than general school purposes and shall be recorded as a school tax that may be levied and collected without limit as to time.

(c) Each local taxing authority in the State levying ad valorem property taxes for public school purposes shall annually notify the Alabama Department of Revenue, the Alabama State Superintendent of Education, and the Director of Finance of all ad valorem property taxes so levied by such authority for school purposes (including the tax authorized to be levied hereby), of the authority under which such taxes were levied and collected, the provisions of any referendum at which they were approved pertaining to the rates thereof, the time they are to continue, the purposes for which they were approved, and the particular constitutional authority under which they were submitted for referendum, if applicable.

(d) The levy and collection of the additional ad valorem property tax authorized and required to be levied and collected pursuant to the provisions of this amendment shall not affect or reduce any authorization heretofore or hereafter otherwise existing for the levy of any school district or countywide ad valorem property tax or taxes, whether such levy is subject to approval by the qualified electors of the jurisdiction in which the tax may be levied at a referendum election or otherwise.

(e) The tax levied pursuant to this amendment may be pledged for payment of any debt obligations incurred for public school purposes for which any other ad valorem property tax levied in the school district in which the tax is levied is or may be pledged for repayment. No provision of this amendment shall affect or impair the validity of any pledge of any local ad valorem property tax heretofore or hereafter made for the payment of any indebtedness of any type whatever.

(f) Any provision of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, to the contrary notwithstanding, all ad valorem property taxes for public school or education purposes in the state of Alabama the levy of which has been approved by a majority vote of the appropriate electorate prior to the ratification of this amendment by the qualified electors of the State, and the levy and collection of any such tax from the date of the initial levy thereof, are hereby authorized, ratified and confirmed regardless of any statutory or constitutional defects, mistakes, errors or ambiguities in the authorization or levy thereof or the election thereon, or in any act of the Legislature with respect thereto; provided, however, that the authorization, ratification and confirmation effected by this Section (f) shall not be applicable to any tax the validity of which was being challenged in appropriate judicial proceedings in any proper court on the date of final passage of the act of the legislature pursuant to which this amendment was proposed.

Amendment 779 ratified
Autauga County: Court Costs.

The Legislature, by general or local law, may fix, regulate, and alter the costs and charges of courts in Autauga County and provide for their distribution.

Amendment 780 ratified
Baldwin County: Amendment to Amendment 660.

All vacancies in the office of judge of the circuit court and the office of judge of the district court holding in Baldwin County shall be filled in the manner and for the time as herein provided.

The Baldwin County Judicial Commission is created for the purpose of nominating to the Governor persons for appointment to a vacancy. The commission shall be composed of five members. The members of the commission shall be one person who is a member of the Alabama State Bar nominated by the Baldwin County Bar Association, the presiding circuit judge holding in Baldwin County, one member selected by the Baldwin County Commission, one member selected by the Baldwin County Mayors' Association where at least two thirds of the members are in attendance at the meeting where the selection is made, and one member who is not a member of the Legislature selected by the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation selected by random selection as designed by the members of the Alabama House of Representatives and the Alabama Senate who represent Baldwin County.

All members of the commission shall reside in the territorial jurisdiction of the circuit court holding in Baldwin County.

Only the member selected by the Baldwin County Bar Association and the presiding circuit judge holding in Baldwin County may be a member of the Alabama State Bar. The member of the commission who is required to be a member of the Alabama State Bar shall be elected by the members of the Baldwin County Bar Association who are regularly licensed and qualified to practice law in this state and who reside in the territorial jurisdiction of the circuit court holding in Baldwin County. The Executive Committee of the Baldwin County Bar Association, or its successor body in that capacity, shall make rules, not inconsistent with this amendment, for the election of the member of the commission required to be a member of the Alabama State Bar. The executive committee shall certify in writing to the Judge of Probate of Baldwin County the name of the person elected as member of the commission by these members of the bar.

The presiding circuit judge holding in Baldwin County shall certify in writing to the Judge of Probate of Baldwin County the remaining names of the persons selected as members of the commission.

The terms of office of all members of the commission shall be six years. In event that an initial appointment or vacancy is not filled in 30 days, the vacancy shall be filled by the members of the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation residing in Baldwin County within 10 days. A vacancy in the office of a member of the commission shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the member was originally chosen.

The Judge of Probate of Baldwin County shall record all certificates of election and shall safely and permanently keep the original certificates. Forthwith upon his or her receipt and recordation of every certificate, the judge of probate shall send to the Governor a certified copy of every certificate.

No member of the commission shall be eligible for nomination to the Governor for appointment as judge of the circuit court or the district court during the term of office of the commission member.

The members of the commission shall not receive any salary or other compensation for their services as members. No member of the commission other than the member required to be a judge of the circuit court shall hold any public office, and no member of the commission shall hold any official position in any political party.

If a vacancy occurs in the office of judge of the circuit court or the office of judge of the district court holding in Baldwin County, the commission shall nominate within 30 days to the Governor three persons having the qualifications for the office. If the commission fails to nominate three names during the 30-day period, the names shall be selected by the members of the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation residing in the county within 10 days. The names of all persons considered for nomination shall be available for review by the public and shall be deemed a public record. The Governor shall appoint to the office in which the vacancy exists one of the three persons so nominated for the office. If the Governor fails to make an appointment from the list within 30 days from the date it is presented to the Governor, the appointment shall be made by the Chief Justice or the acting Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from the same list. The appointee shall hold the office until the next general election for any state officer held at least six months after the vacancy occurs and until a successor is elected and qualified. At the general election, the judicial office shall be filled for a full term of office to commence on the first Monday after the second Tuesday in January following the general election.

Amendment 781 ratified
Baldwin County: Wastewater Utilities.

(a) This amendment shall apply only in Baldwin County.

(b) For the purpose of this amendment, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) WASTEWATER SYSTEM. A system of pipes, lines, meters, pumps, equipment and facilities, all or part of which are located in the unincorporated areas of Baldwin County and which are owned or operated by a wastewater utility, as defined herein, for the collection, treatment, and disposal of wastewater from homes, schools, businesses, and other entities in which solids, sewerage, nonhydrocarbon greases, and oils are collected for treatment or where wastewater is collected for disposal. Individual septic tank systems, decentralized or cluster facilities as defined by general law, and all portable toilets are expressly excluded from the definition of the term "wastewater system."

(2) WASTEWATER UTILITY. The owner or operating entity of a wastewater system, whether privately owned or publicly owned, including privately owned wastewater systems, municipally owned wastewater systems, and wastewater systems owned by or through boards or other entities established by municipal corporations or as otherwise provided by state law.

(3) WASTEWATER. Solids, sewerage, nonhydrocarbon greases, and oils.

(c) The Legislature may by general or local law provide for the regulation of wastewater utilities, whether privately owned or publicly owned, in the unincorporated area of the county. The regulation may include uniform minimum standards for the design, placement, construction, operation, and maintenance of wastewater systems and the regulation of the establishment of reasonable and just rates for consumers and the wastewater utilities. In the case of uniform minimum standards established within any extraterritorial jurisdiction of a municipality, the standards established pursuant to the authority granted in this amendment shall apply. Any minimum standard adopted pursuant to this amendment shall not apply to any part of a wastewater system installed or permitted prior to the effective date of the standard unless it is determined necessary for the protection of the public health and welfare and the environment of Baldwin County. All laws, rules, regulations, construction standards, and specifications regulating wastewater systems and wastewater utilities shall be non-discriminatory and apply equally to all wastewater systems and wastewater utilities operating or located within the unincorporated areas of the county.

(d) The Legislature may authorize the levy of taxes or fees in an amount not to exceed five percent of the gross receipts from the connection, collection, and treatment revenues collected from customers of wastewater utilities in the unincorporated area of the county to be used for the purposes of the administration of regulation adopted pursuant to this amendment.

(e) The Legislature may provide for the mandatory connection to wastewater systems where service is reasonably available and where it is in the best interest for the protection of the public health and welfare and the environment of Baldwin County.

(f) The Legislature by general or local law may authorize the exercise of the power of eminent domain for the construction of wastewater utilities in the county.

Amendment 782
Baldwin County: Tax - Senior Discount.

(a) In Baldwin County, a qualified taxpayer may claim a senior discount on his or her ad valorem taxes. A qualified taxpayer shall meet all the following requirements to be eligible for the senior discount:

(1) Be age 65 or older for the tax year for which he or she claims the discount.

(2) Shall have maintained the property on which the senior discount is claimed as his or her principal place of residence for at least 10 years prior to claiming the senior discount.

(b) The senior discount provided for herein shall be the difference between the ad valorem taxes otherwise due and the ad valorem tax imposed on October 1, 2006. The senior discount shall be claimed in the manner that a homestead exemption is claimed.

(c) The Alabama Department of Revenue shall promulgate such rules as are necessary for the implementation and administration of the provisions of this amendment.

Amendment 783 ratified
Baldwin County: Home Rule.

Section 1. Limited Home Rule.

(a) Except as herein provided, the Baldwin County Commission may adopt ordinances, resolutions, or regulations relating to its property, affairs, and county government for which no provision has been made by general law and which is not inconsistent with this constitution or any local law enacted by the Alabama Legislature. Notwithstanding the general grant of power in the preceding sentence, the Baldwin County Commission may not establish or levy any new tax or raise revenue except as authorized by this constitution or by general or local law enacted by the Legislature of the State of Alabama.

(b) The Baldwin County Commission, in the adoption of ordinances, resolutions, regulations, or amendments to such ordinances, resolutions, or regulations implementing the provisions of this amendment, shall provide for public notice and hearings as follows:

(1) The county commission shall hold two advertised public hearings on the proposed ordinance, resolution, or regulation or any amendment to ordinances, resolutions, or regulations at regularly scheduled meetings of the commission.

(2) The required advertisement shall be no less than one-eighth page in a standard size or a tabloid size newspaper, and the headline in the advertisement shall be in a type no smaller than 14 point. This advertisement shall be placed in both that portion of the newspaper where legal notices and classified advertisements appear and in the other portion of the newspaper. The advertisement shall be published in newspapers of general paid circulation in the county and of general interest and readership in the community. In addition, the advertisement may be placed on a website.

(3) An ordinance may not be considered for adoption until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the county commission after the public hearings provided for above.

(c) Every ordinance of the Baldwin County Commission shall embrace only one subject and matter properly connected therewith, and the subject shall be briefly expressed in the title. No ordinance shall be revised or amended by reference to its title only. Ordinances to revise or amend shall set out in full the revised or amended section, subsection, or paragraph of a subsection. The enacting clause of every ordinance shall read: "Be It Ordained by the County Commissioners of Baldwin County."

(d) The Baldwin County Commission shall maintain a current codification of all ordinances. The codification shall be updated at least annually. All ordinances shall be available to the public at the main courthouse and at all satellite courthouses. A reasonable charge may be made for the copies but the charges shall not exceed the actual costs incidental to providing the copies. In addition, the county commission may post the ordinances on the Internet.

(e) The Baldwin County Commission may fix the salaries, compensation, expenses, and other benefits and terms of employment of those employed by the Baldwin County Commission, not to include any employee of the sheriff subject to Amendment 717 of this constitution, now appearing as Section 9, Local Amendments, Baldwin County, Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, and establish and maintain retirement or pension systems, insurance, workers' compensation, hospitalization, and medical benefits for those employees as well as the employees of the Baldwin County Legislative Office. The Baldwin County Commission may employ a county administrator and other professional staff as it deems appropriate to be authorized and directed to perform any applicable management and administrative function associated with the management of county property and services.

Section 2. Supplementary powers.

(a) The Baldwin County Commission, in addition to, and supplementary of, all powers possessed by or conferred upon Baldwin County or otherwise provided by general law, may by ordinance or resolution exercise the following powers, and provide and regulate the following services, activities, programs, and facilities related thereto:

(1) Garbage and solid waste collection and disposal.

(2) Public health facilities and services, including hospitals, ambulance and emergency rescue services, and control of dangerous animals and animal nuisances not related to agricultural activities, operations, or practices.

(3) Public street and road construction and maintenance, including curbs, sidewalks, street lights, and devices to control the flow of traffic. Any construction and maintenance performed or authorized to be performed by county government shall be performed in accordance with engineering standards and shall be inspected to insure enforcement and compliance.

Amendment 783 ratified
Baldwin County: Home Rule.

Section 1. Limited Home Rule.

(a) Except as herein provided, the Baldwin County Commission may adopt ordinances, resolutions, or regulations relating to its property, affairs, and county government for which no provision has been made by general law and which is not inconsistent with this constitution or any local law enacted by the Alabama Legislature. Notwithstanding the general grant of power in the preceding sentence, the Baldwin County Commission may not establish or levy any new tax or raise revenue except as authorized by this constitution or by general or local law enacted by the Legislature of the State of Alabama.

(b) The Baldwin County Commission, in the adoption of ordinances, resolutions, regulations, or amendments to such ordinances, resolutions, or regulations implementing the provisions of this amendment, shall provide for public notice and hearings as follows:

(1) The county commission shall hold two advertised public hearings on the proposed ordinance, resolution, or regulation or any amendment to ordinances, resolutions, or regulations at regularly scheduled meetings of the commission.

(2) The required advertisement shall be no less than one-eighth page in a standard size or a tabloid size newspaper, and the headline in the advertisement shall be in a type no smaller than 14 point. This advertisement shall be placed in both that portion of the newspaper where legal notices and classified advertisements appear and in the other portion of the newspaper. The advertisement shall be published in newspapers of general paid circulation in the county and of general interest and readership in the community. In addition, the advertisement may be placed on a website.

(3) An ordinance may not be considered for adoption until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the county commission after the public hearings provided for above.

(c) Every ordinance of the Baldwin County Commission shall embrace only one subject and matter properly connected therewith, and the subject shall be briefly expressed in the title. No ordinance shall be revised or amended by reference to its title only. Ordinances to revise or amend shall set out in full the revised or amended section, subsection, or paragraph of a subsection. The enacting clause of every ordinance shall read: "Be It Ordained by the County Commissioners of Baldwin County."

(d) The Baldwin County Commission shall maintain a current codification of all ordinances. The codification shall be updated at least annually. All ordinances shall be available to the public at the main courthouse and at all satellite courthouses. A reasonable charge may be made for the copies but the charges shall not exceed the actual costs incidental to providing the copies. In addition, the county commission may post the ordinances on the Internet.

(e) The Baldwin County Commission may fix the salaries, compensation, expenses, and other benefits and terms of employment of those employed by the Baldwin County Commission, not to include any employee of the sheriff subject to Amendment 717 of this constitution, now appearing as Section 9, Local Amendments, Baldwin County, Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, and establish and maintain retirement or pension systems, insurance, workers' compensation, hospitalization, and medical benefits for those employees as well as the employees of the Baldwin County Legislative Office. The Baldwin County Commission may employ a county administrator and other professional staff as it deems appropriate to be authorized and directed to perform any applicable management and administrative function associated with the management of county property and services.

Section 2. Supplementary powers.

(a) The Baldwin County Commission, in addition to, and supplementary of, all powers possessed by or conferred upon Baldwin County or otherwise provided by general law, may by ordinance or resolution exercise the following powers, and provide and regulate the following services, activities, programs, and facilities related thereto:

(1) Garbage and solid waste collection and disposal.

(2) Public health facilities and services, including hospitals, ambulance and emergency rescue services, and control of dangerous animals and animal nuisances not related to agricultural activities, operations, or practices.

(3) Public street and road construction and maintenance, including curbs, sidewalks, street lights, and devices to control the flow of traffic. Any construction and maintenance performed or authorized to be performed by county government shall be performed in accordance with engineering standards and shall be inspected to insure enforcement and compliance.

Amendment 784 ratified
Butler County: Retirement.

No sheriff or elected or appointed Butler County official may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every sheriff or elected or appointed Butler County official may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. The sheriff and other Butler County officials holding office at the time of ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office. No person may participate in both a supernumerary program and the Employees' Retirement System based on the same service. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed Butler County official" include, subject only to express limitation, (1) any person elected to a public county office by the electors of Butler County at a general or special election; (2) any person holding an office that entitles the person to participate in a supernumerary program; or (3) any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected Butler County official. The words do not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, coroner, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 785 ratified
Crenshaw County: Repeal of Amendment 496.

Repealed by Amendment 785.

Amendment 786 ratified
DeKalb County: Retirement.

No person elected or appointed sheriff or any elected or appointed DeKalb County official may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed DeKalb County official including the sheriff may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. DeKalb County officials holding office at the time of ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office; provided, however, the official shall forego the assumption of a supernumerary office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed DeKalb County official" include, subject only to express limitation, any person elected to represent DeKalb County in any representative body of the state and includes any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed DeKalb County official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 787 ratified
Elmore County: Amendment to Amendment 567.

(a) The Legislature may from time to time by local law authorize the county governing body of Elmore County to levy and collect fees, annually not to exceed fifty dollars ($50) on each residence and one hundred dollars ($100) on each business located within the county, for fire protection services and emergency medical care, such local law may provide for the distribution of the fees to volunteer fire departments and to emergency medical technicians who are members of volunteer fire departments, or provide for the distribution of the fees to an association of volunteer fire departments to be distributed by the association for the same purposes.

(b) Act No. 92-660, H. 63, 1992 Second Special Session, a proposed, but not ratified local constitutional amendment, relating to the same subject matter, is repealed.

(c) This amendment shall not become effective unless approved at a referendum by a majority of the qualified electors of Elmore County voting on the proposition. The referendum shall be held at the same time as the election for the ratification of this amendment, as provided for in Section 2 of this act, and no further election shall be required.

Amendment 788 ratified
Escambia County: Retirement.

No mayor or elected or appointed Escambia County official, including the sheriff, may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every mayor or elected or appointed Escambia County official, including the sheriff, may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Mayors and Escambia County officials holding office at the time of ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office. No person may participate in both a supernumerary program and the Employees' Retirement System based on the same service. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed Escambia County official" include, subject only to express limitation, any person holding an office that entitles the person to participate in a supernumerary program or any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed Escambia County official. The words do not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 789 ratified
Geneva County: Amendment to Amendment 640.

No elected or appointed Geneva County official, including the sheriff, may assume a supernumerary office after the effective date of this amendment. Any person who, on the effective date of this amendment, is entitled to participate in a supernumerary program may continue to participate in that supernumerary program, which shall include the assumption of a supernumerary office according to the terms and conditions of the law which established that supernumerary program. Every elected or appointed Geneva County official, including the sheriff, may participate in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama upon the same terms and conditions as may be specified by law for any other employee in the same retirement system. Geneva County officials holding office at the time of the ratification of this amendment shall be eligible to purchase service credit in the Employees' Retirement System for the time the official has served in the current office; provided, however, the official shall forego the assumption of a supernumerary office. For the purposes of this amendment, the words "elected or appointed county official" shall include any person appointed to serve the remaining term of an elected or appointed county official, but shall not include a judge, district attorney, legislator, constable, school board member, or any official elected from a judicial circuit.

Amendment 790 ratified
Lee County: Criminal Penalties.

The Lee County Commission, by ordinance or resolution, may provide criminal penalties for violations that occur within the county in addition to those provided for by state law.

Amendment 791 ratified
Mobile County: Sheriff - Employees.

Effective the first day of the sixth month after ratification of this amendment, employees of the Office of the Sheriff of Mobile County, except for all appointed or contract employees, shall be under the authority of the Personnel Board of Mobile County. The provisions of this amendment shall not affect the legal status of the sheriff's deputies as state constitutional officers and shall not abrogate or limit in any way any immunity from liability they enjoy pursuant to that status.

Amendment 792 ratified
Tuscaloosa County: Amendment to Amendment 358.

The Legislature may provide for the formation of districts in Tuscaloosa County, for establishing and maintaining a system for fighting or preventing fires or for the collection and disposal of garbage and trash or for either or both of said purposes; provided, however, that no territory lying within the limits of a municipal corporation at the time of the establishment of any such district shall be included within such district except that all or part of any territory lying within a municipality having a population of 10,000 inhabitants or less may be included within a district upon approval by resolution of the governing body of the municipality; and, provided further, that no such district shall be established unless the establishment thereof has been first approved by the qualified electors residing within the proposed district at an election held as provided for by a law or laws adopted by the Legislature. The Legislature may provide for submitting to the qualified electors residing within the proposed district the question of whether the district shall be created for either or both of the aforesaid purposes.

The expenses of establishing and maintaining any such fire fighting and fire prevention system or any such garbage collection and disposal system in a district, as the case may be, shall be paid for exclusively by the proceeds of a service charge, which shall be levied and collected in an amount sufficient to pay the said expenses.

Said service charges shall be levied upon and collected from the persons and property to whom and to which such services are available; and the service charge shall be a lien upon any such property.

The Legislature may provide for the enlargement of a district by the addition of territory thereto, subject to the following conditions: (1) No territory lying within a municipal corporation at the time of such enlargement shall be added to a district except that all or part of any territory lying within a municipality having a population of 10,000 inhabitants or less may be included within a district upon approval by resolution of the governing body of the municipality; (2) subject to (3), next below, no territory shall be added unless the qualified electors thereof have approved the addition of such territory to the district at an election held for that purpose within the territory proposed to be added; (3) the Legislature may provide a procedure whereby territory will be included in a district upon the written petition for its inclusion signed by at least seventy percent (70%) of the qualified electors residing within said territory.

The Legislature shall adopt laws providing for the administration of the affairs of the district by the governing body of the county or by an agency of the county, and empowering the body administering the affairs of the district to levy and collect the service charge, subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Legislature imposes. The Legislature may provide that any such service charge shall not become effective unless approved by the electors of the territory, and may provide the conditions on which an election on such service charge shall be held.

The Legislature shall be authorized to enact laws providing for the collection and enforcement of the service charges and of the lien for such charges.

The Legislature may provide for the issuance of bonds for such districts with or without an election; provided, however, that all bonds issued hereunder shall be payable only out of the proceeds of the service charge authorized hereby, and no such bond shall be a general obligation of the county.

Amendment 793 ratified
Tuscaloosa County: Court Costs - Legislative Authority.

The Legislature, by general or local law, may fix, regulate, and alter the costs and charges of courts in Tuscaloosa County and provide for their distribution. Any local law authorizing the levy of additional court costs in Tuscaloosa County enacted prior to the effective date of this amendment is ratified and confirmed.

Amendment 794 ratified
Tuscaloosa County: Court Costs - Authority.

The Legislature, by general or local law, may fix, regulate, and alter the costs and charges of courts in Tuscaloosa County and provide for their distribution. Any local law authorizing the levy of additional court costs in Tuscaloosa County enacted prior to the effective date of this amendment is ratified and confirmed.

Amendment 795 ratified
Amendment of Amendment 471.

The special district tax now levied and collected for public hospital purposes in election precincts numbered one through seven of Baldwin County, Alabama, and authorized by law shall be continued upon approval of this constitutional amendment and by simultaneous approval of a majority of the qualified electors in election precincts one through seven of Baldwin County voting thereon in the constitutional election submitting this proposed amendment to the county electorate.

"Upon such approval, the governing body of Baldwin County shall levy and cause to be collected annually, beginning October 1, 2007, for a period of 20 years, in addition to any taxes now authorized or that may be hereafter authorized by the Constitution and laws of Alabama, a special district tax of two mills on each one dollar ($1.00) assessed valuation of taxable property in election precincts numbered one through seven of Baldwin County, Alabama, to be used exclusively for public hospital purposes (as the term "public hospital purposes" is defined in amendment LXXVI [76] to the Alabama Constitution of 1901 [§215.037] proposed by Acts of 1949, page 897, submitted December 13, 1949, and proclaimed ratified December 21, 1949) within said election precincts numbered one through seven.

Whenever such tax shall have been authorized by vote of such qualified electors, and levied by the governing body of Baldwin County, such governing body may anticipate the proceeds therefrom for any one or more of the purposes for which the tax shall have been voted, by issuing, without further election, interest bearing tax anticipation bonds, warrants, or certificates of indebtedness of said county payable solely from and secured by a pledge of a sufficient amount of the annual proceeds from said tax received by the county.

The governing body of Baldwin County shall have power to designate as the agency of the county, to construct, acquire, equip, operate and maintain public hospital facilities for said election precincts numbered one through seven any public corporation heretofore or hereafter organized for hospital purposes in the county. When a public corporation shall have been so designated, the proceeds of said tax thereafter collected shall be paid to it and shall be used by it for any one or more of the purposes for which the tax shall have been voted; provided, that payments of the proceeds of said tax to said public corporation shall be made only to such extent as will not result in the impairment of the obligation of any contract theretofore made with respect to said tax. Said public corporation may anticipate the proceeds from said tax so required to be paid to it by issuing, for any one or more of the purposes for which the tax shall have been voted, the bonds, warrants, or certificates of indebtedness of said corporation, and may pledge for the payment of the principal thereof and interest thereon a sufficient amount of the annual proceeds from said tax so paid to it.

No securities issued or contracts made by Baldwin County under the authority of this amendment, which are payable solely out of the proceeds of said tax, and no securities issued or contracts made by any such public corporation, whether or not issued or made under the authority of this amendment, shall be construed to be bonds of Baldwin County or of a political subdivision thereof within the meaning of Section 222 of the Constitution, or construed to create or constitute an indebtedness of the county within the meaning of Section 224 of the Constitution. Said securities shall be construed to be negotiable instruments notwithstanding the fact that they may be payable solely from a limited source. All pledges of said tax and all contracts made with respect thereto pursuant to the provisions of this amendment shall take precedence in the order in which they are made and shall create a charge on the proceeds of said tax prior to the expenses of operating and maintaining any public hospital facilities.

As used in this act, the term "election precincts" means the election precincts or beats of the county as they existed on July 27, 1965.

This amendment shall be self-executing.

Amendment 796 ratified
'''Increase in bonding authority; competitive bidding. '''

(a) The authority granted to the State of Alabama to become indebted and to sell and issue its interest-bearing General Obligation bonds, in addition to all other bonds of the state, under Amendment 666 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, [§219.04] is hereby increased to an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $750 million.

(b) All of the bonds shall be sold only at public sale or sales, either on sealed bids or at public auction, after such advertisement as may be prescribed by the Bond Commission, to the bidder whose bid reflects the lowest true interest cost to the State computed to the respective maturities of the bonds sold; provided, that if no bid deemed acceptable by the commission is received all bids may be rejected.

(c) Relative to issuance expenses, contracts and appointments incurred in connection with the issuance of bonds, the Bond Commission created in Section IX of Amendment 666 to the Constitution of 1901, [§219.04] shall contract with businesses or individuals which reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the state.

(d) In all other respects, the terms and provisions of Amendment 666 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, [§219.04] as amended, will be unchanged and remain in full force and effect.

Amendment 797 ratified
Foreign Trade Investment Zone.

(a) The governing body of the City of Prichard in Mobile County, Alabama, by a majority vote thereof at a regularly scheduled meeting of the governing body, may establish an Alabama Foreign Trade Investment Zone within the city as a special tax district for the purpose of importing duty free and quota free articles eligible under the United States General System of Preferences and the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act or otherwise for purposes of enhancing economic development opportunities and job opportunities within the City of Prichard and Mobile County. The governing body of the City of Prichard shall specify that the value of land and improvements within the tax district, except for property within the tax district that is centrally assessed by the Alabama Department of Revenue, shall be assessed for ad valorem tax purposes by the appropriate county tax officials according to a single site valuation system where land and improvements on the land are valued together rather than separately and taxed at a uniform rate. The proceeds of any revenue collected pursuant to this amendment shall be used by the special tax district for infrastructure creation, improvements, or redesign.

(b) The Legislature may provide by local law for the implementation and administration of the special tax district authorized by this amendment and may further provide for the abolition of the tax district upon the adoption of a resolution by a majority vote of the city governing body calling for the tax district to be abolished.

(c) In addition to the foregoing, any nonprofit organization located within Mobile County may enter into contracts with any individual or corporation for operational purposes.

Amendment 798 ratified
Health care benefits for retired state and education employees.

All of the assets, proceeds, and income of the Alabama Retired State Employees' Health Care Trust and the Alabama Retired Education Employees' Health Care Trust, or any successor or assignee of the trust, and all contributions and payments made to the trustees of the trusts, shall be held, invested as authorized by law, and disbursed for the exclusive purposes of providing for administrative expenses of the respective trust and health care benefits under the management of the trustees of the respective trust in accordance with the terms of its trust agreement. None of the assets, proceeds, income, contributions, or payments shall be used, loaned, encumbered, or diverted to or for any other purpose whatsoever, except, that (a) a trust may be terminated, if the State has no obligation to provide post-employment health care benefits for which the trust was established to such persons, and, in that event, the remaining assets of the trust shall revert to the State Treasury to and for the credit of the State Employees' Insurance Board, the Public Education Employees' Health Insurance Board, or its successor or assign, as the case may be, related to the terminated trust or (b) if in response to a petition of the trustees of a trust requesting that the respective trust agreement be amended, a court of competent jurisdiction determines that the amendment proposed by the trustees is necessary or otherwise advisable to accomplish one or more purposes of the act authorizing and directing the creation of the trusts.

Amendment 799 ratified
Amendment of Amendment 756

In Shelby County, the Legislature, by local law, may provide for the enforcement of traffic laws on private roads in private gated communities and platted subdivisions with 35 or more existing houses whose roads are not public in the county.

Amendment 800 Ratified
Pike County Court Costs.

The Legislature, by general or local law, may fix, regulate, and alter the costs and charges of courts in Pike County and provide for their distribution. Any local law authorizing the levy of additional court costs in Pike County enacted prior to the effective date of this amendment is ratified and confirmed.