In November, Alabama voters will be asked to approve an updated and recompiled state constitution, titled the Alabama Constitution of 2022. Voters will also decide a ballot measure that would authorize the Code Commissioner to incorporate constitutional amendments that are approved at the elections on May 24 and November 8 into the Alabama Constitution of 2022 if voters approve the new constitution.
On March 17, the Alabama State Legislature referred the constitutional amendment to the ballot. The ballot measure would also provide that court decisions relating to provisions of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901 remain valid in the Alabama Constitution of 2022 as long as the relevant sections have not been substantively changed in the new constitution.
The proposed Constitution of Alabama 2022 was drafted following voter approval of Amendment 4 in 2020. Amendment 4 authorized the Alabama State Legislature—during the 2022 regular state legislative session—to recompile the Alabama Constitution and provide for its ratification. Voters approved Amendment 4 by a vote of 67% to 33%. Amendment 4 provided for the Alabama Constitution to be updated in the following ways, making no other substantive changes:
