By Butler Cain and Chris Newbold, Alabama Public Radio
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wual/local-wual-537368.mp3
Tuscaloosa and Mobile, AL – This is Alabama Public Radio. I'm Butler Cain.
University of Alabama sophomore Kay Lanier was reading Alabama's State Constitution yesterday around 5 P-M at Reese Phifer Hall on the University of Alabama campus. She was participating in the annual 24 hour reading of the document. The event started yesterday at 8 AM and was scheduled to wrap up this morning. Several groups, including Alabama Students for Constitutional Reform, use the event to highlight the state's ever-expanding constitution. Right now, there are more than 700 amendments, making it the country's longest such document.
A legislative quirk here in Alabama requires everyone in the state to vote on amendments that may affect only one county or local government. There are more proposed amendments on this year's general election ballot. One of them is an economic initiative for a struggling south Alabama city. Alabama Public Radio's Chris Newbold reports.