Referendum measures; authorize general laws and constitutional amendments to be initiated through public petition process

HB 561 proposes amending Alabama's constitution to allow citizens to initiate general laws and constitutional amendments through a public petition process. It requires 1,000 initial signatures (with a $1,000 refundable fee) to start, then 7% of gubernatorial vote totals (with district-level minimums) to qualify proposals for legislative review. The bill mandates the Secretary of State to verify signatures, publish proposals online, and provide the legislature with summaries 30 days before sessions. If the legislature doesn't sponsor a proposal, citizens can proceed to gather final signatures for a vote, but the legislature retains authority to offer alternative proposals or reject the initiative.