Governor calls special session over redistricting

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Gov. Kay Ivey has called another special session of the Alabama Legislature, this time to take up the issue of redistricting.

Ivey notified legislators that she’s planning to call them back to Montgomery with a formal proclamation that would start on Oct. 28.

Lawmakers are required to redraw district lines every 10 years to reflect population shifts found through the census report. This covers district maps for Congress, the Legislature and the Alabama Board of Education.

You can read the governor’s letter to lawmakers below.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has called another special session, this time to address the matter of... — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has called another special session, this time to address the matter of redistricting.(Source: Gov. Kay Ivey's office)

Ivey previously called legislators into a special session to address the state’s prison crisis, resulting in passage of a $1.3 billion prison construction package that will see the state build two new mega-prisons.

The governor can call a special session to allow legislators the ability to focus on specific pieces of legislation, as she recently did with prisons. A special session can last for no more than twelve legislative days, at a cost to the taxpayers of $400,000.

The governor’s formal proclamation will set the agenda, the only topics lawmakers can debate and vote on, unless each chamber agrees by a two-thirds vote to discuss other matters.