Alabama legislator Arthur Orr will sponsor legislation to remove the racist language from the 1901 Alabama Constitution:
Orr of Decatur said Thursday he will sponsor a proposed constitutional amendment to delete the outdated language that applies a poll tax for voting and requires separate schools for blacks and whites. Orr said the racist language can be used against Alabama by states competing for industrial projects. If his proposal clears the Legislature, it would have to be approved by voters in a statewide referendum.
Former Gov. Bob Riley and others endorsed legislation to do the same thing in 2004, but Alabama voters narrowly rejected it.
