The bill proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, which would transfer ownership of certain sixteenth section and indemnity school lands from the Franklin County School System to the Franklin County Board of Education. These lands are owned in fee simple by the Franklin County School System, located in Fayette County and Walker County, and are used exclusively by schools in the Franklin County School System. The amendment would grant the Franklin County Board of Education the authority to manage, sell, lease, and control the land and any natural resources on it, such as timber and minerals.
The proceeds from the sale or lease of the land or its natural resources would be paid to the Franklin County Board of Education and deposited into its General Fund. The amendment is intended to supersede any conflicting provisions in the constitution regarding the land and the rights to manage and dispose of it, including the proceeds and interest earned from such transactions. The amendment also stipulates that any proceeds and interest derived from transactions made before the ratification of this amendment, which are held in trust by the State of Alabama, shall continue to be held in trust and paid to the Franklin County Board of Education. The bill includes instructions for an election on the proposed amendment, with a description to be provided on the ballot, and specifies that the amendment will become valid upon approval by a majority of the qualified electors voting on it. The bill was passed by the House on April 9, 2024, and by the Senate with an insertion on May 8, 2024.