Alabamians in November will vote on a proposal aimed at protecting hundreds of local laws — from sales taxes to annexations to draft beer regulations — from being invalidated because of a legal dispute over legislative procedure.
Senator Cam Ward says hundreds of local laws are vulnerable to court challenges unless lawmakers approve Amendment 14.
The concern came after a judge struck down a Jefferson County sales tax law, after finding the House of Representatives was misapplying a procedural vote required to pass bills before state budgets are approved. The Budget Isolation Resolution in the Alabama Constitution requires a vote of "three-fifths of a quorum present." However, the House for years has interpreted it as three-fifths of "members present and voting."
