Bentley plans special session for prisons

MONTGOMERY - Gov. Robert Bentley said he plans to call a special legislative session for prisons in 2017 after failing this year to get Alabama lawmakers to approve funding for the construction of new lockups.

The session will be isolated within the regular legislative session next near as a way to get lawmakers to focus on building new prisons, Bentley said Monday.

"That will be the top of the agenda," he said.

Bentley didn't release details on the package of bills, but he said having a special session within the regular session would save the state money rather than calling a separate session.

Alabama's prisons are badly overcrowded, with more than 23,000 inmates jammed into space intended for about 13,300 people. Bentley asked legislators to fund the construction of new prisons this year but the legislation failed.

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