Governor Bentley’s Remarks Announcing Date for 2016 Special Session

Watch the announcement video here.

“As Alabamians we are blessed to live in a truly great state.

But for it to be the best it can be, we must solve financial problems that have held us back for decades.

An Alabama lottery is expected to generate two hundred and twenty-five million dollars annually. After we have exhausted all other options, I believe this is our best chance to solve this problem.

But this is not just about a lottery, this is about our people.

I will not, as your governor and as a physician, watch as our most helpless and vulnerable people go without a doctor’s care.

I can’t bear to think of the half-million children who, through no fault of their own, are born into poverty and have no way to get basic medical treatment they need to grow healthy and strong.

In order to accomplish this I am calling a special session of the Alabama legislature on August 15, 2016.

Please join with me in asking your legislators to allow us to help our people.

Help us solve this problem. Let’s join together to help make Alabama a truly great state.”