SB261INTRODUCED Page 0 SB261 4VZCR33-1 By Senator Jones (Constitutional Amendment) RFD: Local Legislation First Read: 02-Apr-24 1 2 3 4 5 4VZCR33-1 12/13/2023 THR (L)THR 2023-3701 Page 1 First Read: 02-Apr-24 SYNOPSIS: This bill would propose an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, relating to Cherokee County, to authorize the Legislature to fix and regulate court costs by general or local law; and to ratify all previously collected court costs. A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To propose an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, relating to Cherokee County, to authorize the Legislature to fix and regulate court costs by general or local law; and to ratify all previously collected court costs. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, is proposed: PROPOSED AMENDMENT (a) The Legislature, by general or local law, may fix, regulate, and alter the costs and charges of courts in Cherokee County and provide for their distribution. (b) All court costs and charges collected in Cherokee County prior to the ratification of this amendment are hereby 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 SB261 INTRODUCED Page 2 County prior to the ratification of this amendment are hereby ratified, validated, and confirmed. Upon ratification of this constitutional amendment, the Code Commissioner shall number and place this amendment as appropriate in the constitution omitting this instructional paragraph and may make the following nonsubstantive revisions: change capitalization, hierarchy, spelling, and punctuation for purposes of style and uniformity; correct manifest grammatical, clerical, and typographical errors; revise internal or external citations and cross-references; and translate effective dates. END PROPOSED AMENDMENT Section 2. An election upon the proposed amendment shall be held in accordance with Sections 284, 284.01, and 285 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, and the election laws of this state. The appropriate election official shall assign a ballot number for the proposed constitutional amendment on the election ballot and shall set forth the following description of the substance or subject matter of the proposed constitutional amendment: "Relating to Cherokee County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to authorize the Legislature to fix and regulate court costs by general or local law; and to ratify all previously collected court costs. Proposed by Act ____." This description shall be followed by the following language: Yes( ) No( )." Section 3. The proposed amendment shall become valid as 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 SB261 INTRODUCED Page 3 Section 3. The proposed amendment shall become valid as part of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, when approved by a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon. 57 58