Gov. Kay Ivey sent a letter to state lawmakers earlier today informing them that a special session concerning redistricting would take place later this month.
In the letter, Ivey thanks legislators for a “productive, efficient, and very impactful First Special Session of 2021” before announcing another special session to take place on Oct. 28. This session will be spent discussing redistricting.
Lawmakers are required to re-assess district lines every 10 years after the census report. Legislators are reportedly working on maps that will be voted on during the special session. There were concerns that Alabama would lose a congressional seat, but Ivey says in the letter that a successful “Alabama Counts!” census campaign allowed them to keep it.
The first special session took place on Sept. 27 to discuss building new Alabama prisons. Ivey signed a bill after the session’s completion that allows the state to use COVID-19 relief funds to build more prisons in the state.
