By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – The state Senate met late into the evening Wednesday night and approved a proposed constitutional amendment concerning eminent domain. The proposal would place new restrictions on governments that try to use eminent domain to obtain private property. The proposal is actually stronger than the current law, which was passed just last summer. It already prohibits city, county and state governments from using eminent domain to take homes and other private property for industrial, commercial, retail, residential or office projects. The new proposal also restricts governments from declaring property as blighted and provides protection for landowners who maintain properties in blighted areas. The proposed constitutional amendment now goes to the House.