Governor calls special session

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Gov. Bob Riley on Friday ordered Alabama legislators to return to Montgomery next week for a special session to pass a budget to fund Alabama schools and colleges.

Lawmakers ended the 2008 regular session Monday night without passing a budget to fund K-12 and higher education in Alabama for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. They will return Tuesday.

Passing budgets to fund education and government services are the only duties mandated for the Legislature in the state constitution.

Riley said lawmakers need to pass the budget quickly so that school systems can plan for the coming school year and avoid laying off teachers.

“Our students and teachers are waiting on them to finish their work,” Riley said in a statement. “I’ve asked legislators to not make any commitments to the special interests on the budget. The education budget must reflect Alabama’s priorities, not the special interests’ priorities.”

Lawmakers struggled throughout the session to pass an education budget during an economic downturn that has left the state with more than $350 million less than what’s in the current year’s budget.

A $6.3 billion education spending plan passed the House, but was killed by a filibuster in the Senate on the last day of the session. The filibuster was led by Republican senators who felt higher education was being cut too severely and sought an extra $25 million for colleges.

Despite cutting most programs, the education budget considered by lawmakers would have prevented layoffs among Alabama’s 47,000 teachers that are funded by the state. It would not, however, have provided a cost-of-living raise to school employees.

Senate Democrats on Friday promised to work to get the education budget through the Legislature in five days, the minimum amount of time required to pass a bill.

Senate Majority Leader Zeb Little, D-Cullman, urged Republicans to set aside the delaying tactics that killed the budget and most other legislation on the final day of the session.

“The last thing the people of Alabama want is a long special session that spends even more taxpayer money. Let’s come in, get to work and go home,” Little said.
Riley, a Republican, also encouraged lawmakers to work quickly.

“Teachers are getting pink slips at this very moment and schools are unable to make plans for the fall because the Legislature failed to pass the budget,” the governor said. “That’s unacceptable, and I want legislators to know that we’re going to stay here all summer if that’s what it takes to finish the job.”

Riley also included as a priority for the special session a bill to establish a “rainy day” savings account for the General Fund budget and another to expand the “rainy day” account for the education budget.

Riley’s spokesman, Jeff Emerson, said other items could be included as priorities for the session.