Local Amendments explained

Here is a look at what the other two local amendments on Tuesday’s ballot mean.

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Baldwin County Local Amendment 1

What it says:

Relating to Baldwin County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to allow the Judge of Probate of Baldwin County to exercise equity jurisdiction concurrent with that of the circuit court in cases originally filed in the Probate Court of Baldwin County if the Judge of Probate is a member of the Alabama State Bar.

What it means: This is a housekeeping amendment that will clear some of the case load out of the circuit court in Baldwin County and allow the probate judge to hear certain cases as long as they are also a lawyer in Alabama.

Baldwin County Local Amendment 2        

What it says:

Relating to Baldwin County, proposing amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, to authorize the Legislature by local law to provide for the incorporation of a toll road and bridge authority as a public corporation in the county for the purposes of acquiring, designing, constructing, equipping, regulating, improving, operating and maintaining a new toll road and bridge project in the county in order to extend the present northern terminus of the Baldwin Beach Express to U.S. Interstate Highway 65.  

What it means:

This allows the Baldwin County Commission to create a 3 – 5 member panel that will oversee the building of the expanded Beach Express and operate a toll to pay for the road. Once the road is paid for the panel will be dissolved. The amendment does not give the panel any authority to toll other roads in Baldwin County. Officials also said the toll would not apply to the stretch of road between Highway 31 and U.S. 65.