1 SB287 2 216635-1 3 By Senator Singleton (Constitutional Amendment) 4 RFD: Judiciary 5 First Read: 01-MAR-22 Page 0 1 216635-1:n:01/25/2022:CNB/bm LSA2022-337 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 SYNOPSIS: Under existing constitutional provisions, 9 all judges must be elected by vote of the electors 10 within the territorial jurisdiction of their 11 respective courts. 12 This bill would propose an amendment to the 13 Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to provide for the 14 election of associate justices of the Supreme Court 15 and judges of the appellate courts by districts. 16 17 A BILL 18 TO BE ENTITLED 19 AN ACT 20 21 Proposing an amendment to Section 6.13 of Amendment 22 328 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as 23 Section 152 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution 24 of Alabama of 1901, as amended, to provide for the election of 25 associate justices of the Supreme Court and judges of the 26 courts of appeals by district. 27 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: Page 1 1 Section 1. The following amendment to the 2 Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, is proposed and 3 shall become valid as a part thereof when approved by a 4 majority of the qualified electors voting thereon and in 5 accordance with Sections 284, 285, and 287 of the Constitution 6 of Alabama of 1901, as amended: 7 PROPOSED AMENDMENT 8 Section 6.13 of Amendment 328 to the Constitution of 9 Alabama of 1901,now appearing as Section 152 of the Official 10 Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as 11 amended, is amended to read as follows: 12 "Section 6.13. 13 "(a) All Except as provided in subsection (b), 14 judges shall be elected by vote of the electors within the 15 territorial jurisdiction of their respective courts. 16 "(b) Commencing with the 2024 General Election, 17 associate justices of the Supreme Court and judges of the 18 courts of appeals shall be elected by districts as determined 19 by the Legislature." 20 Section 2. An election upon the proposed amendment 21 shall be held in accordance with Sections 284 and 285 of the 22 Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Sections 284 23 and 285 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of 24 Alabama of 1901, as amended, and the election laws of this 25 state. 26 Section 3. The appropriate election official shall 27 assign a ballot number for the proposed constitutional Page 2 1 amendment on the election ballot and shall set forth the 2 following description of the substance or subject matter of 3 the proposed constitutional amendment: 4 "Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of 5 Alabama of 1901, to provide for the election of associate 6 justices of the Supreme Court and judges of the courts of 7 appeals by district. 8 "Proposed by Act ________." 9 This description shall be followed by the following 10 language: 11 "Yes ( ) No ( )." Page 3