While some lawmakers pledged bipartisanship for the session, which starts Oct. 5, it was uncertain what the General Assembly could do to improve health insurance benefits for teachers and state employees next year.

"We're looking forward to the challenge and we will do everything within our abilities to work with the governor and work with the Senate in a bipartisan way," Richards said.

The governor announced Tuesday he would call the special session dealing with compensation, health insurance and retirement benefits for current and retired teachers and state employees.

Fletcher administration officials said that the state had already signed contracts with insurance companies for next year. Those contracts are limited as to how they can be altered, said Fletcher's chief of staff, Daniel Groves.

Any attempt to rebid the contracts could result in a gap of insurance coverage for state employees, he said. Their new benefits are scheduled to take effect Jan. 1.

Still, the governor decided to call the special session to see if Democrats, who had criticized the plan, had a better idea, Groves said.

"What we've done is we've presented a plan," Groves told reporters. "They've criticized it but offered no alternatives. If they don't like the plan that's been presented, then what we are saying is, 'We are going to give you an opportunity to present the better plan.'"

But Senate Majority Leader Dan Kelly, R-Springfield, said he thought lawmakers could upgrade state employee benefits.

"There's no question that we can mitigate the increased costs," he said.

Richards said legislators first needed Fletcher to release documents surrounding the agreement that led to the new 2005 health insurance benefits for teachers and state workers.

Fletcher recently announced an overhaul of the state health insurance plan for next year. Most enrollees would be paying more in deductibles and co-payments starting next year.

Premiums differ on a sliding scale based on income.

An employee making the average state government salary of just more than $36,000 per year would pay $521 each month for family coverage, with an $800 deductible, with out-of-pocket expenses capped at $4,000 under the "preferred" plan. A worker making more than $76,000 per year would pay $546 for the same coverage.