ARTICLE XIV. EDUCATION – Constitution of Alabama 2022

SEC. 256 EDUCATIONAL POLICY OF STATE;  AUTHORITY OF LEGISLATURE TO PROVIDE FOR OR AUTHORIZE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF SCHOOLS BY PERSONS, MUNICIPALITIES, ETC.;  GRANT, DONATION, SALE OR LEASE OF FUNDS AND PROPERTY FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.

It is the policy of the state of Alabama to foster and promote the education of its citizens in a manner and extent consistent with its available resources, and the willingness and ability of the individual student, but nothing in this Constitution shall be construed as creating or recognizing any right to education or training at public expense, nor as limiting the authority and duty of the legislature in furthering or providing for education.

The legislature may by law provide for or authorize the establishment and operation of schools by such persons, agencies or municipalities, at such places, and upon such conditions as it may prescribe, and for the grant or loan of public funds and the lease, sale or donation of real or personal property to or for the benefit of citizens of the state for educational purposes under such circumstances and upon such conditions as it shall prescribe.  Real property owned by the state or any municipality shall not be donated for educational purposes except to nonprofit charitable or eleemosynary corporations or associations organized under the laws of the state.

SEC. 257 PRINCIPAL FROM SALE, ETC., OF SCHOOL PROPERTY TO BE PRESERVED;  DISPOSITION OF INCOME THEREFROM.

The principal of all funds arising from the sale or other disposition of lands or other property, which has been or may hereafter be granted or entrusted to this state or given by the United States for educational purposes shall be preserved inviolate and undiminished;  and the income arising therefrom shall be faithfully applied to the specific object of the original grants or appropriations.

SEC. 258 PROPERTY DONATED OR APPROPRIATED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES AND ESTATES OF PERSONS DYING WITHOUT WILL OR HEIRS TO BE APPLIED TO FURTHERANCE OF EDUCATION.

All lands or other property given by individuals, or appropriated by the state for educational purposes, and all estates of deceased persons who die without leaving a will or heir, shall be used or applied to the furtherance of education.

SEC. 260 CERTAIN INCOME TO BE APPLIED TO SUPPORT AND FURTHERANCE OF EDUCATION;  SPECIAL ANNUAL TAX FOR EDUCATION;  MAXIMUM ANNUAL LEVY ON TAXABLE PROPERTY;  PRIORITY FOR PAYMENT OF BONDED INDEBTEDNESS OF STATE;  PROCEEDS OF CERTAIN TAXES TO BE USED FOR SUPPORT AND FURTHERANCE OF EDUCATION.

The income arising from the sixteenth section trust fund, the surplus revenue fund, until it is called for by the United States government, and the funds enumerated in sections 257 and 258 of this Constitution, together with a special annual tax of thirty cents on each one hundred dollars of taxable property in this state, which the legislature shall levy, shall be applied to the support and furtherance of education, and it shall be the duty of the legislature to increase the educational fund from time to time as the necessity therefor and the condition of the treasury and the resources of the state may justify;  provided, that nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to authorize the legislature to levy in any one year a greater rate of state taxation for all purposes, including schools, than sixty-five cents on each one hundred dollars’ worth of taxable property;  and provided further, that nothing herein contained shall prevent the legislature from first providing for the payment of the bonded indebtedness of the state and interest thereon out of all the revenue of the state.

Except as they may be specifically set aside in trust funds or otherwise applied to the payment of indebtedness, all proceeds of income or other taxes levied by the state, and of all special ad valorem or other taxes levied by counties and other municipalities, or school districts, pursuant to the Constitution as heretofore amended, for public school purposes, shall be applied to the support and furtherance of education pursuant to section 256 of the Constitution, as amended.

SEC. 260.02 EDUCATION TRUST FUND RAINY DAY ACCOUNT.

Section I.

 Amendment 709 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 260.01 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, is hereby repealed.

Section II.

As used in this amendment, the following words and phrases shall have the following respective meanings:

“Alabama Trust Fund” means the irrevocable, permanent trust fund created by Amendment No. 450 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 219.02 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended.

“Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account” or “General Fund Rainy Day Account” means the special accounts created by this amendment.

“Oil and Gas Capital Payment” means any payment (including any royalty payment) received by the state or any agency or instrumentality thereof as all or part of the consideration for the sale, leasing, or other disposition by the state or any agency or instrumentality thereof of any right to explore and drill for or to produce oil, gas, or other hydrocarbon minerals in any area on the water side of the high water mark of Mobile Bay or in any other offshore area and shall include any revenue by the state from federal oil and gas leases off the coast of Alabama.  Any royalty or other payment, with the exception of any taxes heretofore or hereafter levied, that is based upon or determined with respect to the production of oil, gas or other hydrocarbon minerals and that is paid to the state or any agency or instrumentality thereof, regardless of the time of such payment, shall be considered an oil and gas capital payment.

Section III.

 (a) Within thirty days following ratification of this constitutional amendment there shall be created within the Alabama Trust Fund the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account and the General Fund Rainy Day Account.  In any year in which the Governor certifies to the state comptroller and notifies the Legislature that proration would occur in appropriations from the Education Trust Fund or the State General Fund, the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account or the General Fund Rainy Day Account shall be credited with Oil and Gas Capital Payments previously transferred into the Alabama Trust Fund in the amount required to fund withdrawals from the Account of the amounts authorized by this section.  However, the amount withdrawn from the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account in a fiscal year may not exceed six and one-half percent of the previous fiscal year’s Education Trust Fund appropriations less the total amount of any prior years’ withdrawals from the Account which have not been repaid to the Account, as provided for in subsections (b), (c), and (e).  The amount withdrawn from the General Fund Rainy Day Account in a fiscal year may not exceed ten percent of the previous fiscal year’s General Fund appropriations less the total amount of any prior years’ withdrawals from the Account which have not been repaid to the Account, as provided for in subsections (b), (c), and (e).  Funds from the Education Trust Fund or the General Fund Rainy Day Account may be withdrawn only to prevent proration of the appropriations from the Education Trust Fund or the General Fund.  For the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2008, withdrawals shall be limited to an amount necessary to reach the highest estimated available revenue for each Fund as certified by the Finance Director and the Legislative Fiscal Officer prior to the end of the 2008 Regular Legislative Session.  Beginning in the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2009, withdrawals from the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account and the General Fund Rainy Day Account shall be limited to an amount necessary to reach the average of the estimated available revenue for each Fund which is to be certified by the Finance Director and the Legislative Fiscal Officer prior to the third legislative day of each Regular Session.  The Governor shall certify to the state comptroller and notify the Legislature that proration would occur in appropriations from the Education Trust Fund or the General Fund in accordance with this constitution.  Upon the certification by the Governor, and after all other sources available to be used to offset proration have been utilized, withdrawals from the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account or the General Fund Rainy Day Account may be made;  however, withdrawals shall be limited to the amount of the anticipated proration and funds allotted only to the extent necessary to avoid proration of appropriations from the Education Trust Fund or the General Fund as limited by this section.  In the event funds are withdrawn from the Education Trust Fund or the General Fund Rainy Day Account an additional amount equal to twenty-five percent of the Education Trust Fund or the General Fund transfer amount shall be transferred from the Alabama Trust Fund to the County and Municipal Government Capital Improvement Fund.

(b) The Finance Director shall ensure that if during the fiscal year, receipts to the Education Trust Fund or the General Fund (net of the Education Trust Fund or the General Fund Rainy Day Account payments) are sufficient to reduce anticipated proration which has been certified by the Governor to the state comptroller and for which funds have been withdrawn, then the amount corresponding to the reduced anticipated proration percentage shall be transferred back to the Education Trust Fund or the General Fund Rainy Day Account within the Alabama Trust Fund within thirty days after the end of the fiscal year in which the withdrawals were made.  Any amount transferred back to the Education Trust Fund or the General Fund Rainy Day Account shall necessitate a transfer of an additional amount equal to twenty-five percent of that amount from the County and Municipal Government Capital Improvement Fund into the Education Trust Fund or the General Fund Rainy Day Account within the Alabama Trust Fund.

(c) The Legislature may provide by statute for the replenishment of the Education Trust Fund or the General Fund Rainy Day Account within the Alabama Trust Fund from sources other than the Alabama Trust Fund or Oil and Gas Capital Payments.  The earnings from the investment of funds due to the replenishment shall be deposited into the State General Fund.

(d) The allocations to the Alabama Capital Improvement Trust Fund and to the County and Municipal Government Capital Improvement Fund as provided in Amendment 666 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 219.04 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, shall not be diminished by the application of this amendment.

(e) The Legislature must replenish the accounts within six (6) years after withdrawal of any funds from the Education Trust Fund Rainy Day Account and within ten (10) years after withdrawal of any funds from the General Fund Rainy Day Account pursuant to the provisions of this amendment.  After the complete replenishment of the Education Trust Fund or the General Fund Rainy Day Account, any excess funds shall be designated to repay any lost interest earnings to the trust established under Amendment 543 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 219.07 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, due to any withdrawal from the Education Trust Fund or the General Fund Rainy Day Account.

SEC. 261 PERCENTAGE OF SCHOOL FUNDS FOR TEACHERS’ SALARIES.

Not more than four per cent. of all moneys raised or which may hereafter be appropriated for the support of public schools, shall be used or expended otherwise than for the payment of teachers employed in such schools;  provided, that the legislature may, by a vote of two-thirds of each house, suspend the operation of this section.

SEC. 262 SELECTION, QUALIFICATIONS, POWERS, DUTIES AND TENURE OF STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION.

1. General supervision of the public schools in Alabama shall be vested in a state board of education, which shall be elected in such manner as the legislature may provide.

2. The chief state school officer shall be the state superintendent of education, who shall be appointed by the state board of education and serve at its pleasure.  The authority and duties of the superintendent of education shall be determined by the state board of education according to such regulations as the legislature may prescribe.  The superintendent of education shall receive an annual salary which shall be fixed by the legislature of Alabama and shall be paid from the state treasury in installments as the salaries of other state officers are paid.

3. The legislature shall enact appropriate laws to implement or enforce this article of amendment.

4. The provisions of article V and XIV of the Constitution of Alabama as amended in conflict with this article are expressly repealed.  However, this amendment shall not be so construed as to effect the election or term of the state superintendent of education chosen before it becomes valid as a part of the Constitution.

SEC. 263 SCHOOL FUNDS NOT TO BE USED FOR SUPPORT OF SECTARIAN OR DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOLS.

No money raised for the support of the public schools shall be appropriated to or used for the support of any sectarian or denominational school.

SEC. 264 BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE UNIVERSITY.

The state university shall be under the management and control of a board of trustees, which shall consist of two members from each congressional district in the state as constituted on January 1, 2018, an additional member from the congressional district which includes the site of the first campus of the university, and the governor, who shall be ex officio president of the board.  The members of the board of trustees as now constituted shall hold office until their respective terms expire under existing law, and until their successors shall be elected and confirmed as hereinafter required.  The additional trustees provided for by this amendment shall be elected by the existing members of the board, and confirmed by the senate in the manner provided below, for initial terms of not more than six years established by the board so that one term shall expire each three years in each congressional district.  Successors to the terms of the existing and additional trustees shall hold office for a term of six years, and shall not serve more than three consecutive full six-year terms on the board.  Election of additional and successor trustees or of trustees to fill any vacancy created by the expiration of a term or by the death or resignation of any member or from any other cause shall be by the remaining members of the board by secret ballot;  provided, that any trustee so elected shall hold office from the date of election until confirmation or rejection by the senate, and, if confirmed, until the expiration of the term for which elected, and until a successor is elected.  At every meeting of the legislature the superintendent of education shall certify to the senate the names of all who shall have been so elected since the last session of the legislature, and the senate shall confirm or reject them, as it shall determine is for the best interest of the university.  If it rejects the names of any members, it shall thereupon elect trustees in the stead of those rejected.  No trustee shall receive any pay or emolument other than his actual expenses incurred in the discharge of his duties as such.  Upon the vacation of office by a trustee, the board, if it desires, may bestow upon a trustee the honorary title of trustee emeritus, but such status shall confer no responsibilities, duties, rights, or privileges as such.

SEC. 265 ANNUAL PAYMENT OF INTEREST ON FUNDS OF UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA;  AUTHORITY TO ABOLISH MILITARY SYSTEM AT UNIVERSITY.

After the ratification of this Constitution there shall be paid out of the treasury of this state at the time and in the manner provided by law, the sum of not less than thirty-six thousand dollars per annum as interest on the funds of the University of Alabama, heretofore covered into the treasury, for the maintenance and support of said institution;  provided, that the legislature shall have the power at any time they deem proper for the best interest of said university to abolish the military system at said institution or reduce the said system to a department of instruction, and that such action on the part of the legislature shall not cause any diminution of the amount of the annual interest payable out of the treasury for the support and maintenance of said university.

SEC. 266 BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF AUBURN UNIVERSITY.

 (a) Auburn University shall be under the management and control of a board of trustees.  The board of trustees shall consist of one member from each of the congressional districts in the state as the same were constituted on the first day of January, 1961, one member from Lee County, three at-large members who shall be residents of the continental United States, two additional at-large members who shall be residents of the continental United States and who shall enhance the diversity of the board of trustees by reflecting the racial, gender, and economic diversity of the state, and the Governor, who shall be ex officio president of the board.

(b) The trustees from each congressional district, from Lee County, and all at-large trustees, including the two additional at-large members who shall enhance the diversity of the board, shall be appointed by the appointing committee created herein, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.  The appointment of members to fill a vacated position with a partially expired term of office shall also be made by the appointing committee as provided herein.

(c) A board of trustees appointing committee is established composed of the following members:

(1) The President Pro Tem of the Board of Trustees of Auburn University or the designee of the President Pro Tem.  The designee shall be a member of the Board of Trustees of Auburn University.

(2) A member of the Board of Trustees of Auburn University selected by the board of trustees.

(3) Two members of the Auburn Alumni Association Board of Directors, who are not current employees of Auburn University, selected by the Auburn Alumni Association Board of Directors.

(4) The Governor or a designee of the Governor who is an alumnus of Auburn University but who is not a current member of the Auburn Board of Trustees nor a current member of the Auburn Alumni Association Board of Directors nor a current employee of Auburn University.

(d) The Governor, or the designee of the Governor, shall serve as chairperson of the appointing committee.  If the chairperson fails to call a meeting within 90 days prior to the expiration of the term of a sitting board member or within 30 days following the creation of a vacancy by death, resignation, or other cause, a majority of the committee, in writing, may call a meeting giving at least 10 days notice.  In the absence of the chairperson or another member designated by the chairperson to preside, the majority of the committee shall choose its own chairperson.

(e) When appropriate, the appointing committee shall meet to address the appointment of any of the following:

(1) Persons to fill an expired or soon-to-be expired term of office of any member of the Board of Trustees of Auburn University, including the five at-large positions.

(2) Persons to fill the remainder of a partially expired term of office of any position on the Board of Trustees of Auburn University which has been vacated by reason of death, resignation, or other cause, including the five at-large positions.

(f) The appointing committee, by majority vote, shall appoint an individual to fill the respective position on the board of trustees.  The committee shall ensure that appointments are solicited from all constituencies, are inclusive, and reflect the racial, gender, and economic diversity of the state.  A person may not be appointed to the Board of Trustees of Auburn University while serving on the appointing committee.

(g) A trustee shall hold office for a term of seven years, and may serve no more than two full seven-year terms of office.  Appointment and service for a portion of an unexpired term shall not be considered in applying the two-term limit.

(h) For purposes of ensuring that transitions in board membership occur in a stable manner, if the secretary of the board determines that, as of January 1 of any calendar year, four or more members of the board hold seats the terms for which will expire during that calendar year, then the secretary shall provide written notice to the board of such fact and the term of the trustees whose term would otherwise expire during that subject year shall be adjusted in the following manner:  The trustee who was first confirmed to a term expiring in the subject year shall have his or her term extended to the same month and day in the first subsequent year in which there are less than three trustees with terms expiring;  if, after making this initial adjustment, there are still four or more trustees with terms expiring during the subject year, then the term of the next trustee or trustees whose terms are to expire during the subject year shall be adjusted, in order of their original confirmation to the term, to expire on the same month and day as their original term but in the next subsequent year or years in which there are less than three trustees with terms expiring that year;  term adjustments to the next subsequent year or years in which there are less than three trustees with terms expiring shall occur regardless of whether the expiration is due to an original expiration date or due to an expiration date adjusted under this subsection, but in no case shall the term of more than three trustees expire during the same calendar year;  and in making adjustments, the terms of the final three trustees with terms expiring during the subject year shall expire on the originally established dates.  For purposes of this subsection, if two or more trustees were confirmed on the same date, then the order of expiration the terms of those trustees shall be determined alphabetically by last name.

(i) Each member of the board of trustees as constituted on December 13, 2000, may serve the remainder of his or her current term and shall be eligible, if otherwise qualified, to serve for no more than two additional seven-year terms.

(j) No person shall be appointed as a member of the board of trustees after having reached 70 years of age.

(k) One more than half of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day until a quorum is present.

(l)

 A term shall begin only upon confirmation by the Senate.  A member may continue to serve until a successor is confirmed, but in no case for more than one year after completion of a term.

(m) No trustee shall receive any pay or emolument other than his or her actual expenses incurred in the discharge of duties as such.

(n) No employee of Auburn University shall be eligible to serve as a member of the board of trustees.

(o)(1) The appointing committee shall submit the name of the persons selected for appointment to the Secretary of the Senate, who shall inform the Senate of the receipt of such submission.  If the Senate is in regular session at that time, the submission shall be made by the conclusion of the next legislative day following the appointment.  If the Senate is not in regular session at the time of appointment, the submission shall be made before the commencement of the next regular session.

(2) If the entire Senate, by a majority vote, confirms the submission, the appointee shall immediately assume office.  An appointee may not begin service prior to Senate confirmation.

(3) If the submission is not confirmed by the entire Senate by a majority vote by the conclusion of the legislative session, the submission shall be considered rejected.

(4) A submission to the Senate may be withdrawn at any time by the appointing committee in regard to appointments made by the committee.

(5) Upon the rejection of a submission or the withdrawal of a submission, the appointment and confirmation process specified in this amendment shall commence anew.

(p) The same name may be submitted to the Senate for the same position on the board more than one time.

(q) Upon the expiration of a term of office, a member of the board of trustees shall continue to serve until a successor is appointed pursuant to this amendment, is confirmed by the entire Senate by majority vote, and assumes office.  If a successor is not confirmed by the conclusion of the regular session in which one or more names for the position were initially submitted, the former holder of the position may continue to serve until a successor is appointed and confirmed, but in no case shall this continuation be longer than one year after completion of the term of office.

(r) If any position on the board of trustees becomes vacant during a term of office by reason of death, resignation, or other cause, a person shall be appointed by the appointing committee to fill the remainder of the unexpired term of office pursuant to the procedure provided for other appointments made by the appointing committee.  The position shall be considered vacant until a person is confirmed by a majority vote of the entire Senate.

SEC. 267 CHANGE OF LOCATION OF ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, ALABAMA SCHOOLS FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND OR ALABAMA GIRLS INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.

The legislature shall not have power to change the location of the state university, or the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, or the Alabama Schools for the Deaf and Blind, or the Alabama Girls’ Industrial School, as now established by law, except upon a vote of two-thirds of the legislature taken by yeas and nays and entered upon the journals.

SEC. 268 PROVISION FOR TAKING SCHOOL CENSUS.

The legislature shall provide for taking a school census by townships and districts throughout the state not oftener than once in two years, and shall provide for the punishment of all persons or officers making false or fraudulent enumerations and returns;  provided, the state superintendent of education may order and supervise the taking of a new census in any township, district, or county, whenever he may have reasonable cause to believe that false or fraudulent returns have been made.

SEC. 269 SPECIAL COUNTY EDUCATIONAL TAXES.

The several counties in this state shall have power to levy and collect a special tax not exceeding ten cents on each one hundred dollars of taxable property in such counties, for the support and furtherance of education in such manner as may be authorized by the legislature;  provided, that the rate of such tax, the time it is to continue, and the purpose thereof, shall have been first submitted to a vote of the qualified electors of the county, and voted for by three-fifths of those voting at such election;  but the rate of such special tax shall not increase the rate of taxation, state and county combined, in any one year, to more than one dollar and twenty-five cents on each one hundred dollars of taxable property;  excluding, however, all special county taxes for public buildings, roads, bridges, and the payment of debts existing at the ratification of the Constitution of eighteen hundred and seventy-five.

SEC. 269.01 SPECIAL COUNTY TAX FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL PURPOSES.

The several counties in the state shall have power to levy and collect a special county tax not exceeding thirty cents on each one hundred dollars worth of taxable property in such counties in addition to that now authorized or that may hereafter be authorized for public school purposes, and in addition to that now authorized under section 260 of article XIV of the Constitution;  provided, that the rate of such tax, the time it is to continue and the purpose thereof shall have been first submitted to the vote of the qualified electors of the county, and voted for by a majority of those voting at such election.

SEC. 269.02 SPECIAL DISTRICT TAX FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL PURPOSES.

The several school districts of any county in the state shall have power to levy and collect a special district tax not exceeding thirty cents on each one hundred dollars worth of taxable property in such district for public school purposes;  provided, that a school district under the meaning of this section shall include incorporated cities or towns, or any school district of which an incorporated city or town is a part, or such other school districts now existing or hereafter formed as may be approved by the county board of education;  provided further, that the rate of such tax, the time it is to continue and the purpose thereof shall have been first submitted to the vote of the qualified electors of the district and voted for by a majority of those voting at such election;  provided further, that no district tax shall be voted or collected except in such counties as are levying and collecting not less than a three-mill special county school tax.

SEC. 269.03 DISPOSITION OF SPECIAL SCHOOL TAX FUNDS.

The funds arising from the special county school tax levied and collected by any county shall be apportioned and expended as the law may direct, and the funds arising from the special school tax levied in any district which votes the same independently of the county shall be expended for the exclusive benefit of the district, as the law may direct.

SEC. 269.04 ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX FOR COUNTY EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.

The court of county commissioners, board of revenue, or other like governing body of each of the several counties in the state shall have the power to levy and collect a special county tax of not to exceed fifty cents on each one hundred dollars of taxable property, in addition to all other taxes now or hereafter authorized by the Constitution and laws of Alabama, for educational purposes, on the value of the taxable property in the county as assessed for state taxation, provided the purpose thereof, and the time such tax is proposed to be continued shall have been first submitted to a vote of the qualified electors of the county and voted for by a majority of those voting at such election.  If any proposal to levy the tax is defeated in any election, subsequent elections thereon may be held at any time.  The election provided for herein shall be called, held, conducted, paid for, and governed otherwise in the manner provided for an election on the school district tax authorized in constitutional amendment III [§§ 269.01–269.03].

SEC. 269.05 ADDITIONAL SPECIAL DISTRICT SCHOOL TAX.

In addition to any and all taxes now authorized, or that may be hereafter authorized by the Constitution and laws of Alabama, the several school districts of any in the state shall have power to levy and collect an additional special district school tax not exceeding thirty cents on each one hundred dollars worth of taxable property in such district for public school purposes in addition to that now authorized or that may hereafter be authorized for public school purposes;  provided, that a school district under this section shall include incorporated cities or towns, or any school district of which an incorporated city or town is a part, or such other school districts now existing or hereafter formed as may be approved by the county board of education;  provided, further, that the rate of such tax, the time it is to continue and the purpose thereof shall have been first submitted to the vote of the qualified electors of the district, and voted for a majority of those voting at such election.

SEC. 269.06 RATIFICATION OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TAXES.

Any provision of the Constitution of Alabama 1901, as amended, to the contrary notwithstanding, all ad valorem taxes for public school or education purposes in the state of Alabama which have been approved by a majority vote of the appropriate electorate prior to March 1, 1990, and the levy and collection thereof from the date of the initial levy thereof, are hereby authorized, ratified and confirmed regardless of any statutory or constitutional defects, mistakes, errors or ambiguities in the authorization or levy thereof or the election thereon, or in any act of the legislature with respect thereto;  provided, however, that the authorization, ratification and confirmation effected by this amendment shall not be applicable to any tax the validity of which is being challenged in appropriate judicial proceedings in any proper court on the date the act proposing this amendment is adopted.

SEC. 269.07 LEVY AND COLLECTION OF DISTRICT SCHOOL TAX.

The provision contained in Section 2 of Amendment No. 3 to this constitution [§ 269.02] relating to district school taxes and providing that no district school tax shall be voted upon or collected except in those counties that are levying and collecting not less than a three-mill special county school tax is hereby repealed.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this constitution or any law to the contrary, the levy of a countywide tax shall not be required as a condition precedent for the levy and collection of any district school tax in any school district in the state.

SEC. 269.08 MINIMUM AD VALOREM TAX RATE FOR GENERAL SCHOOL PURPOSES.

 (a) There is hereby authorized and there shall be levied and collected for general public school purposes, for the ad valorem tax year commencing October 1, 2006, and for each ad valorem tax year thereafter, in each school district of the state, in addition to all other taxes, a special ad valorem school property tax at a rate equal to the difference between ten dollars on each one thousand dollars of taxable property in such district and the sum of the rates per thousand of all the ad valorem property taxes described in Section (b) hereof otherwise levied and collected for general public school purposes in such school district and required or permitted by the terms of this amendment to be taken into account for purposes of determining the rate of said tax.  The County Commission or other like governing body of each county in the State is hereby directed to compute and determine annually the rate or rates of, and to levy and collect in and for the benefit of each school district within such county, the additional ad valorem property tax authorized hereby, in compliance with the provisions of this amendment.  The proceeds from said tax shall not, any provisions of any law or of this constitution to the contrary notwithstanding, be subject to any fees, charges or commissions for assessment or collection by any person whatever, it being the intent hereof that the full amounts of the proceeds of said tax collected shall be used for general public school purposes.

(b) The following described ad valorem property taxes, to the extent the use of the proceeds thereof is not lawfully restricted, earmarked or otherwise designated for a purpose or purposes more particular than general public school purposes, now or hereafter levied and collected in each school district of the State, shall be taken into account annually in determining the rate of the tax required to be levied each year pursuant to the provisions of Section (a) of this amendment:

(1) countywide ad valorem property taxes levied and collected for public school or educational purposes under the provisions of Section 269 of, or Amendments 3 or 202 [§§ 269.01 through 269.04] to, the Constitution of Alabama of 1901 or any amendment thereto adopted subsequent to the adoption of this amendment similarly authorizing the levy of such taxes,

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(2) countywide ad valorem property taxes levied and collected for public school or educational purposes,

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(3) that portion, expressed as an ad valorem tax millage rate, of any local countywide ad valorem property tax or taxes levied and collected in any county of the state for general purposes that is paid or required to be distributed to or used for the benefit of the respective public school system or systems of the county to which the school district has reference, and that is designated by official action of the taxing authority levying the same as creditable for purposes of Section (a) of this amendment, provided that any such portion of such tax once so designated may not thereafter be designated for other than general school purposes and shall be recorded as a school tax that may be levied and collected without limit as to time,

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(4) school district ad valorem property taxes levied and collected under the provisions of Amendments 3 or 382 to the Constitution of 1901 [§§ 269.01 through 269.04], or the provisions of any constitutional amendment applicable only to the county (or part thereof) in which the school district is located authorizing the levy of an ad valorem property tax in the school district, and

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(5) any ad valorem property taxes otherwise levied by and collected in any municipality of the state for public school purposes the proceeds of which are paid or required to be used for the benefit of the school system of such municipality, and that are designated by the taxing authority levying the tax as creditable for purposes of Section (a) of this amendment, provided that any such tax once so designated may not thereafter be designated for other than general school purposes and shall be recorded as a school tax that may be levied and collected without limit as to time.

(c) Each local taxing authority in the State levying ad valorem property taxes for public school purposes shall annually notify the Alabama Department of Revenue, the Alabama State Superintendent of Education, and the Director of Finance of all ad valorem property taxes so levied by such authority for school purposes (including the tax authorized to be levied hereby), of the authority under which such taxes were levied and collected, the provisions of any referendum at which they were approved pertaining to the rates thereof, the time they are to continue, the purposes for which they were approved, and the particular constitutional authority under which they were submitted for referendum, if applicable.

(d) The levy and collection of the additional ad valorem property tax authorized and required to be levied and collected pursuant to the provisions of this amendment shall not affect or reduce any authorization heretofore or hereafter otherwise existing for the levy of any school district or countywide ad valorem property tax or taxes, whether such levy is subject to approval by the qualified electors of the jurisdiction in which the tax may be levied at a referendum election or otherwise.

(e) The tax levied pursuant to this amendment may be pledged for payment of any debt obligations incurred for public school purposes for which any other ad valorem property tax levied in the school district in which the tax is levied is or may be pledged for repayment.  No provision of this amendment shall affect or impair the validity of any pledge of any local ad valorem property tax heretofore or hereafter made for the payment of any indebtedness of any type whatever.

(f) Any provision of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, to the contrary notwithstanding, all ad valorem property taxes for public school or education purposes in the state of Alabama the levy of which has been approved by a majority vote of the appropriate electorate prior to the ratification of this amendment by the qualified electors of the State, and the levy and collection of any such tax from the date of the initial levy thereof, are hereby authorized, ratified and confirmed regardless of any statutory or constitutional defects, mistakes, errors or ambiguities in the authorization or levy thereof or the election thereon, or in any act of the Legislature with respect thereto;  provided, however, that the authorization, ratification and confirmation effected by this Section (f) shall not be applicable to any tax the validity of which was being challenged in appropriate judicial proceedings in any proper court on the date of final passage of the act of the legislature pursuant to which this amendment was proposed.

SEC. 270 APPLICABILITY OF ARTICLE TO MOBILE COUNTY.

The provisions of this article and of any act of the legislature passed in pursuance thereof for educational purposes, shall apply to Mobile county only so far as to authorize and require the authorities designated by law to draw the portions of the funds to which said county shall be entitled for school purposes and to make reports to the superintendent of education as may be prescribed by law;  and all special incomes and powers of taxation as now authorized by law for the benefit of public schools in said county shall remain undisturbed until otherwise provided by the legislature.