ABLE to Save Month

Proclamation
By the Governor of Alabama
WHEREAS, according to the U.S. Census, about 56.7 million people – 19 percent of the population in the United States – have a disability ; and
WHEREAS, many of these individuals with disabilities rely on federal benefits such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income to foster their independence, maintain their health, support their employment, participate in their communities and enhance their quality of life; and
WHEREAS, before passage of the federal Stephen Beck, Jr., Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act in 2014, millions of individuals with disabilities were unable to save more than $2,000 in assets without jeopardizing their eligibility for these critical federal benefits; and
WHEREAS, Alabama and 22 other states have established ABLE programs where individuals with disabilities can save money in tax-exempt “ABLE” accounts that do not count toward the individual’s $2,000 asset cap; and
WHEREAS, in Alabama, the savings program is known as the Enable Savings Plan Alabama and is administered by the Alabama State Treasurer’s Office; and
WHEREAS, Alabama’s Enable Savings Plan, the 18th program in the country to launch, is supporting the ABLE National Resource Center’s nationwide campaign, #ABLEtoSave, to educate individuals with disabilities and their families, financial institutions and other stakeholders about ABLE’s potential positive impact on the lives of Americans with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, the establishment of ABLE to Save Month for the month of August 2017 across Alabama will encourage public and private community-based organizations to provide information and resources to residents of Alabama about ABLE accounts:
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Kay Ivey, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim the month of August 2017, as
ABLE to Save Month
in the State of Alabama.
Given Under My Hand and the Great Seal of the Office of the Governor at the State Capitol in the City of Montgomery on the 21st day of July, 2017.
Kay Ivey
Governor