The Democratic caucus of the Alabama Senate on Tuesday urged Gov. Kay Ivey to call the Legislature into special session to address the suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for the month of November.

The governor does not plan to do so.

The Democratic caucus, which has eight members in the 35-member Senate, made the request in a letter to Ivey and in a press release.

The federal government will not pay SNAP benefits in November unless there is a resolution to the shutdown in Washington.

About 750,000 Alabamians receive SNAP benefits, about 15% of the population. The average benefit is about $196 a month.

The total cost of the benefits is about $150 million a month. While the state pays some of the cost for administering the program, the benefits are 100% f

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