Governor Bentley calls for Special Legislative Session to convene next week

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July 9, 2015

Gov. Robert Bentley delivers the 2015 State of the State Address, Tuesday, March 3, 2015, in the Old House Chamber of the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery. (Photo: Governor's Office, Jamie Martin) — Gov. Robert Bentley delivers the 2015 State of the State Address, Tuesday, March 3, 2015, in the Old House Chamber of the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery. (Photo: Governor’s Office, Jamie Martin)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama Governor Robert Bentley (R) announced Thursday afternoon he is calling the state legislature back to the State Capital next week in a Special Session to address the beleaguered General Fund budget.

“One of the most serious issues we face in our state is the funding of the General Fund Budget,” Governor Bentley said in a press release announcing the Special Session. “With no budget in place to fund state government following the Regular Legislative Session, the Legislature must return for a Special Session. I look forward to working with the Legislature to fundamentally change the way we budget in Alabama.”

The Special Sessions comes as no surprise—the governor has long held he would call for as many special sessions as it takes to pass his proposed $541 million tax hike.

Each Special Session, which can only be called by the Governor to address a specific issue area, costs taxpayers nearly $100,000 a week according to the Legislative Fiscal Office. Special sessions can only last a total of 12 legislative days over 30 calendar days.

Legislative leadership has struggled to come to a consensus on how to shore up the $250+ million hole in the state’s General Fund budget, which pays for Medicaid, Corrections, and other non-education programs.

Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh stunned many Republicans during the Regular Session by supporting expanding gambling and implementing a state lottery, while House Speaker Mike Hubbard advocated for more moderate tax increases and a gambling compact with the Poarch Creek Indians.

By the end of the Regular Session, no accord was struck and the houses passed a budget relying on cuts, which the Governor promptly vetoed.

A large bloc of conservative senators and a growing group of House members have already publicly vowed to stand in the way of any proposed tax increase. Considering they will all have to face voters again in a few short years, it is hard to imagine them changing directions.

This article may be updated as more details emerge.