New constitution rewrite rejected again

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama House has again defeated an effort to rewrite Alabama's 109-year-old constitution.

The House on Tuesday voted 58-32 against a resolution to hold a referendum during the Nov. 2 general election on whether to call a convention to rewrite the constitution. Efforts to call a convention to rewrite the constitution have failed most of the last 10 years.

The sponsor, Democratic Rep. Demetrius Newton, says the current constitution has been amended more than 800 times and concentrates power in Montgomery. He says it was written by a convention where women and blacks were excluded.

Opponents argue that a convention would be monopolized by special interests and lead to tax increases and legalized gambling.

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