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By Heath Loftin
State & Local Editor
December 4, 2002

   The Alabama Citizens' Commission on Constitutional Reform will end its series of four sessions in Auburn.

   "That's one of our great intellectual centers," said Secretary of State Jim Bennett, the Commission's chairman. "There is a lot of grassroots support in the Opelika-Auburn area. We try to go where there is a great deal of enthusiasm in the local population like there is in and around Auburn."

   On Dec. 8, a special session will be held from 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. at 2352 Haley Center.

   According to a press release by the Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform, the session will be open to the public, and its purpose will be to provide a forum for the airing of citizen's opinions and participation in the goal of constitutional reform.

   The special session is being held on a non-workday in the hopes that this will allow for easier access to the forum by the public.

   During the forum, attendees will view a presentation on Alabama's 1901 Constitution and current issues leading many to believe constitutional reform is needed.

   After the presentation, the forum will be open to public comment and discussion.

   Each person addressing the commission will be given five minutes to state his views.

   "The public input section is built into every one of these conferences," Bennett said. "(The citizens') comments are important and do influence the recommendations of this commission."

   On Dec. 9, the Commission will begin its final deliberation at the Auburn University Hotel & Dixon Conference Center at 9 a.m.

   At 1 p.m., the Commission will open the floor once again for citizens' participation.

   "This last working session is on taxation and revenue and state debt," Bennett said.

   Three conferences have been held by the Commission in the recent past in Huntsville, Birmingham and Mobile. Topics for discussion at these sessions included home rule, methods of revision, education, individual rights, economics development, and governmental organization.

   The event will be directed by Howard Walthall, head of the State Constitutional Law Project at the Cumberland Law School at Samford University.

   Also in attendance and serving as advisers at the conference will be Susan Hamill, a professor at the University of Alabama School of Law, Bruce Ely of Bradley Arant Rose & White LLP and James White of Porter White & Company.

   Others expected to attend are at least 22 citizens who serve on the Commission including an associate Supreme Court Justice, state business owners, educators, pastors, lawyers, civic leaders and retired military personnel.

   "We now have a genuine citizens' commission whose members have brought open minds and no agendas to the table," said Kathryn Bowden, Executive Director of the Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform. "The Commission has done an outstanding job and has laid the groundwork for fixing Alabama's antiquated charter.

   Alabama's 1901 constitution has been amended 742 times since being written making it the nation's longest state constitution.

   Bennet said that the Commission has been "researching areas of the constitution that might need work, looking at the best (constitutional) practices in the other states" and plans on "making a recommendation to the legislature in January" as to the future of the State constitution.

   Although it plans to make its recommendations in January, no action will be able to be taken by the Legislature until it meets in regular session in March.

   Gov. Don Siegelman recently mentioned the possibility that he might call a special legislative session after the New Year.

   Bennett said since Siegelman conceded the governorship to Bob Riley a few weeks back there have been no further talks of this possibility and he doubts that a special session will be called.

   "We are not rewriting the constitution," Bennett said.

   Bennett said that the Commission will instead make recommendations to another commission set up by Riley after he takes office to tackle the issue of constitutional problems and reform.

   "I would expect (the Commission's recommendation) will be before the legislature in March," Bennett said.

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