By Associated Press
Montgomery, AL – Representative Jack Venable worked for years to rewrite Alabama's Constitution one article at a time. It was an effort that stalled with the Tallassee Democrat's death in 2005.
A Republican legislator, Rep. Paul DeMarco of Homewood, has taken up Venable's fight. The 39-year-old DeMarco is sponsoring bills to rewrite the portions of the 1901 Constitution that deal with banking and corporations.
The rewritten banking article was approved Wednesday by the House Constitution and Elections Committee and now goes to the full House for debate. Committee members say they will next week consider the rewritten article concerning corporations.
If approved by the Legislature, the rewritten articles would have to be approved by voters in a statewide referendum.
Committee chairman Representative Randy Hinshaw of Meridianville says his panel next week will also consider a bill to allow Alabama residents to vote on holding a statewide convention to rewrite the constitution.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)