Imminent approval

Alabama legislators this summer almost certainly will pass a badly needed law to ban the use of eminent domain for private economic development. The measure will address the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last week in Kelo v. City of New London, which left state legislatures with the final say over what constitutes a "public use" under the Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause.

The same bill, sponsored by Rep. Jack Venable, D-Tallassee, sailed through the House earlier this year but stalled in the Senate. With Kelo now motivating lawmakers, the bill easily should become law during the special session expected to start in mid-July.