Alabama lawmakers begin process of purging racist language from state constitution

Alabama lawmakers have begun the process of purging racist language from the state’s constitution.

The legislature’s Committee on the Recompilation of the Constitution met Thursday to make changes to the constitution, with a focus on three sections with racist language or intent, according to AL.com.

The state legislature voted in May to establish the 10-member commission, which includes six lawmakers and four others.

The panel will advise the state’s Legislative Services Agency in dating a revised constitution that would then be voted on by lawmakers, according to the website.

Alabama voters in November approved Amendment 4, which allowed the state to remove the racist language from the constitution. The legislature can only remove racist language, as well as language that was repetitive and no longer applies.

The legislature will have to approve the changed language by 2022, and then voters will approve the changes during the 2022 general election. 

At Thursday’s meeting, the panel debated Sections 32, 256 and 259, according to The Alabama Political Reporter.

Section 32, according to its text, outlaws slavery and states that there is no involuntary servitude “otherwise than for the punishment of crime, of which the party shall have been duly convicted.”

Section 256, which concerns the public school systems, states “separate schools shall be provided for white and colored children, and no child of either race shall be permitted to attend a school of the other race.”

Section 259 allows for the use of poll taxes to support public schools in the counties where they are collected.

The panel decided not to vote on removing any of the language, as they decided to wait until public comment ends Tuesday. The panel will meet again on Oct. 13, according to the Alabama Political Reporter.