HB561 Summary

• Proposes constitutional amendment allowing Alabama citizens to initiate general laws and constitutional amendments through a petition process, subject to the same limitations as the Legislature.

• General law initiatives require preliminary petition with 1,000 qualified voter signatures and $1,000 filing fee (refundable if adopted), followed by final petition requiring signatures equal to 7% of votes cast for Governor in last gubernatorial election with minimum 1% from each congressional district.

• Constitutional amendment initiatives require 10% of votes cast for Governor in last gubernatorial election with minimum 1.3% from each congressional district, following same preliminary and final petition process as general laws.

• Legislature must consider initiative proposals during regular session and may sponsor them as legislation; if not enacted by 29th legislative day, proposals go to ballot; Legislature may offer alternative proposals to appear on same ballot.

• Laws or amendments adopted by initiative cannot be repealed or amended except by popular vote unless otherwise specified in the initiative, and identical failed initiatives cannot be resubmitted for 2 years.