SECTION 229

Special laws conferring corporate powers prohibited; general law as to grant or amendment of corporate charters; corporation franchise taxes to be paid; exemption of benevolent, educational or religious corporations and federal building and loan associations from franchise taxes.

The legislature shall pass no special act conferring corporate powers, but it shall pass general laws under which corporations may be organized and corporate powers obtained, subject, nevertheless, to repeal at the will of the legislature; and shall pass general laws under which charters may be altered or amended. The legislature shall, by general laws, provide for the payment to the state of Alabama of a franchise tax by corporations organized under the laws of this state which shall be in proportion to the amount of capital stock; but strictly benevolent, educational or religious corporations or federal building and loan associations organized pursuant to an act of congress known as the Home Owners' Loan Act of 1933, as amended, and as the same may hereafter be amended, or building and loan associations organized under or authorized to do business by the laws of Alabama shall not be required to pay such a tax on their withdrawable or repurchasable shares. The charter of any corporation shall be subject to amendment, alteration, or repeal under general laws. Exemption of the shares of building and loan associations from franchise taxes heretofore provided by statute is ratified.