Robert Bentley details call for second Special Session of 2015

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Gov Robert Bentley speaking
Robert Bentley

The office of newly beleaguered Gov. Robert Bentley on Thursday afternoon released the details of the call for the upcoming Special Session. Lawmakers will reconvene in Montgomery for the third time this year due to a failure to pass a budget for the next fiscal year.

According to a release from the Bentley’s office, the following “reform”  measures – i.e. ways of freeing up necessary revenue without raising taxes – are on the table:

  • Transfer use tax revenue from the Education Trust Fund to the General Fund
  • Un-earmark certain state taxes
  • Amend the Education Trust Fund Rolling Reserve Act.

Also included in the Session’s “call,” which defines the scope of what can be debated during the session, are the following proposals that would raise revenue in order to account for a looming budget shortfall:

  • Amend the Business Privilege Tax
  • Increase the Cigarette Tax
  • Amend the individual income tax deduction for Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA)
  • Any other revenue measures that provide revenue for the General Fund.

House Speaker Mike Hubbard responded to the parameters of the call as follows:

 “We will certainly consider at least some of the bills in Gov. Bentley’s call and various members have their own proposals they will likely bring forward, as well,” said Hubbard in a release. “The House and Senate leadership have worked closely together in good faith, and I’m hopeful that both houses will come together on a common ground solution before the final gavel falls.”

The Session is set to convene at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8.

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