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Act No. 15 Third Special Session, 1965 H. 40-Bethea (M)

AN ACT

To create and establish the Alabama Academy of Honor; to prescribe its purposes and membership; to provide for election of members and officers and for the holding of meetings; and to appropriate funds for use of the Academy in carrying out its purposes.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of Alabama:

Section 1. There is hereby created and established an organization which shall be known as the "Alabama Academy of Honor," hereinafter referred to as the "Academy." The purpose of the Academy shall be to bestow honor and recognition upon living Alabamians for their outstanding accomplishments and service.

Section 2. The Academy shall be composed of not more than 100 living members, and no more than ten of such members shall be elected to membership in any calendar year. Each person elected for membership shall be a distinguished citizen of Alabama who shall be chosen for accomplishment or service greatly benefiting the State, or for accomplishment or service reflecting great credit on the State. Each living Governor or former Governor of Alabama shall be a member of the Academy but shall not be counted in the total maximum membership nor in the ten members who may be elected annually. No more than twenty-five percent of the elected members at any time shall be from the political field.

Section 3. The initial ten members of the Academy shall be elected by a committee appointed for such purpose by the Governor within 60 days after the effective date of this Act. Such committee shall consist of two members from each congressional district within the State. When appointing the committee members, the Governor shall select citizens who are outstanding in the fields of business and industry, education and the fine arts, architecture and engineering, labor, agriculture, the medical and legal professions, government and potitics, and mass communications. Within 30 days after being appointed, the committee shall hold a meeting at a time and place designated by the Governor and shall elect the ten initial members of the Academy as herein provided. A majority of the committee members shall be necessary for the election of each Academy member. The committee shall serve until its purpose as herein prescribed shall have been carried out.

Thereafter, new members, not to exceed ten in any calendar year, shall be elected by the existing members of the Academy. A majority vote of the existing members shall be necessary for the election of each new member, and new members shall be chosen in order of the highest number of votes received. Nominations for new members shall be made by the Academy and in writing by citizens of the State.

Section 4. The Academy shall meet at least once annually to award new memberships, and shall hold such other meetings as necessary to carry out its purpose. The time and place of meetings shall be designated by the members. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum for conducting business. The Academy may make rules and regulations necessary to carry out its purposes and functions as herein prescribed.

Section 5. The members of the Academy shall elect among themselves a chairman and shall fix his term of office. The chairman shall preside over meetings, direct the business of the Academy, and perform such other duties as may be prescribed or delegated to him by the Academy. The members shall appoint one of their number as secretary, who shall keep minutes of each meeting. The Governor's office shall provide such clerical assistance as may be needed by the Academy.

Section 6. The Academy shall receive an annual appropriation not to exceed $2,000, which shall be fixed by the Legislature during each regular session thereof. The appropriation provided shall be used by the Academy to pay for stationery, membership certificates, membership pins or plaques or the like, an annual banquet for members, and such other necessary or appropriate expenses incurred in carrying out the purpose of the Academy.

Section 7. There is hereby appropriated from the general fund in the state treasury $2,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1966, and $2,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1967, for the use of the Academy in carrying out the provisions and purposes herein prescribed.

Section 8. The provisions of this Act are severable. If any part of the Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, such declaration shall not affect the part which remains.

Section 9. This Act shall become effective immediately upon its passage and approval by the Governor, or upon its otherwise becoming a law.

Approved October 29, 1965.
Time: 10:1-A.M.

I hereby certify that the foregoing copy of an Act of the Legislature of Alabama has been compared with the enrolled Act and it is a true and correct copy thereof.

Given under my hand this 29th day of October, 1965.
JOHN W. PEMBERTON
Clerk of the House

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Updated: March 13, 2007