The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-11-30
soMr LEGrsLATIvE CHANCES.

concerning the mode and manner or ieglsA Iation is now of much interest There are many who may not know that Ala bama never had Legislature by official name until the new Constitution of 1901 was adopted, as until that time the legal title of the law-making body was the General Assembly. The change in name was made at the instance of Governor Oates as 1t is much more convenient and saves much space in composition. The style Of the laws now is Be 1t enacted by the Legislature of Alabama" which need not be repeated and sections may be designated merely by figures. So much of a law as is revived or extended, shall be re-enacted and published at length.
 The terms of the Senators elected from the odd numbered districts elected in 1900 are extended until the day after the election in 1908; and at and after that time all the Senators shall be elected for four years and in every fourth year there after. The number of Senators has been increased to thirty-five and the Repre- sentatives to 1O5. which makes two more Senators and five more Representatives Cleburne, Clay and Coosa compose the Thirty fourth District and Henry the Thirty fifth. The counties of Butler, bl- more, Etowah. Walker and Jefferson get an increase of one Representative each under the new Constitution.
 Bills shall be referred to standing com mittees in each house as heretofore, but it is provided that saic bills shall be act ed upon by said committee In session and returned therefrom, which facts shall affirmatively appear upon the Journal of each house. Reading at length of bills when they are signed may be dispensed with by two-thirds vote of quorum present, which fact shall also be entered on the Journal. This legalizes the skip passage as in the past, as it is known that they were read then by their title merely.
 The most radical change in the passage of bills has been made in regard to amendments, and it was done to prevent the reckless putting in or taking out of amendments which were never adopted or rejected and railroaded in under the blanket clause of amendments offered and adopted. Hereafter no amendment to bills shall be adopted except by a ma jority of the house wherein the same is offered, nor unless the amendment with names of those voting for and against the same shall be entered at length on the Journal of the house in which the same is adopted, and no amend ment to bills by one house shall be con- cured in by the other unless a vote be taken by yeas and nays, and the names of the members voting for and against the same be recorded at length on the Journal. It will be noticed that this re- fers to each amendment and 1t is a good law, preventing fraud and deception in the handling of amendments which was so very easy in the past
 The Governor, Auditor and Attorney General shall. before each regular session of the Legislature, prepare general revenue bill to be submitted to the Legis- lature for its information. and the Sec retary of State shall have printed for the use of the Legislature a sufficient number of the copies so prepared which the Governor shall transmit to the House of Representatives as soon as organized to be used or dealt with as that house may elect. No revenue bill shall be passed during the last five days of the session.
 In regard to the general appropriation bill it is provided that the salary of no officer or smploye shall be increased in such bill, nor shall any appropriation be made therein for any officer or employe unless his employment and amount of his salary have already been provided by law. All other appropriations shall be made by separate bills, each embrac- ing but one subject
 The Legislature has teen largely con fined to consideration of local laws, and prohibition is made against the passage of a special, private or local law in di- yorce, relieving disabilities of homage; changing name of corporation, associa- tion or individual; providing for adopting or estimating any child; incorporating any city, town or village; granting a charter to any corporation, association or individual; establishing rules of de- scent or distributions; regulating the time within which a civil or criminal action may be begun; exempting any individual. private corporation or association from the operatio of any general law; provid- ing for sale of property of any individual or estate; changing or locating a county seat; providing for change of venue in any case: regulating the rate of interest; fixing the punishment of, crime; regu- lating either assessment or collection of taxes; giving effect to an invalid will, deed or other instrument; authorizing any county, city, town, village, district or other political subdivision to issue bonds except by election of people concerned amending, confirming or extending the charter of any private municipal corpo- ration; creating, extending or impairing any lien; chartering or licensing of any ferry, road or bridge; increasing juris- dlction and fees of Justices of the Peace or the fees of Constables; establishing separate school and stock districts; creat- ing, increasing or decreasing fees, per- centages or allowances of public officers; exempting property from taxation or from sale; exempting any person from jury,