Alabama's first lady has filed for divorce from Governor Robert Bentley, saying their 50-year marriage has suffered an "irretrievable breakdown." The complaint, filed Friday, says that attempts at reconciliation are futile and that the couple has been living apart since January. A lawyer for Alabama First Lady Dianne Bentley wrote that her client says " there is such a complete incompatibility of temperament that the parties can no longer live together." The Bentleys have been married since 1965 and have four adult sons. There's been no comment from the governor's office.
Next Session
The governor has still no decided on when to call the next special session of the Alabama Legislature. Governor Robert Bentley said Friday he is looking at some time after the Labor Day holiday. Lawmakers will once again be asked to come up with a spending plan for the General Fund which faces a more than $200 million dollar shortfall. Bentley says he wants the funding crisis solved before the new fiscal year.
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood has filed a federal lawsuit over Gov. Robert Bentley's effort to cut off Medicaid payments to the organization's Alabama clinics. Planned Parenthood Southeast said the move penalizes low-income women who seek contraceptive and preventative health care services at the clinics. The lawsuit was filed in Montgomery federal court. Bentley earlier this month announced he was terminating provider agreements with the organization, saying he was disturbed by hidden-camera videos that accuse the group of selling fetal organs after abortions. Planned Parenthood has denied the allegations and says the videos, are edited to be misleading.
Closing Plans
Secretary of Law Enforcement Spencer Collier has outlined plans to close driver's license offices if the Legislature decreases the Alabama Law enforcement Agency's budget. Collier said in a statement the first phase of closures on Oct. 1st would impact 33 part time offices in rural areas, a second phase on Jan. 1st would impact district 29 offices and a third round of closures on March 1st would lead to the department consolidating offices in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery.