Amended Budget Items
Hello District 129 and welcome to another Gold Dome update! The Capitol is always fast paced during session and last week was no exception.
As appropriation hearings to review the budget continued, other committee meetings began, wasting no time in vetting proposed legislation. Although we just finished the eighth legislative day, there have already been hundreds of bills put forth for review! The most significant measure this week was a House floor vote on the Amended Fiscal Year 2017 budget, which passed with an overwhelming majority.
Budget
On Thursday the House passed the 2017 midyear budget which runs through June 30th. The AFY 2017 budget, if approved by the Senate, will allocate an additional $606.2 million in earned revenue, bringing the total AFY 2017 budget to $24.3 billion. The final amount is approximately 2.5 percent higher than originally estimated. The amended budget now heads to the Senate for further consideration. Along with funding listings in last week’s column, the following items are also included in the AFY 2017 budget:
•$16.7 million for the Move on When Ready program which allows eligible Georgia students to take advantage of dual enrollment and progress at their own pace.
•$2.3 million to create the Georgia Center for Early Language and Literacy at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, an education training center for developing literacy skills among children from birth to age 8 throughout the state.
•$25.1 million for a 20 percent pay raise for state law enforcement officers over 16 agencies.
•$50 million for the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center in Augusta.
•$974,712 to expedite the 57 percent per diem rate increase for Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) foster parents, effective April 1, 2017.
•$746,243 for a $1 per day increase for the relative, or kinship, foster care providers effective April 1, 2017.
The spending plan also contains additional funding for the Governor’s Emergency Fund in the amount of $5 million. Last weekend, many homes and businesses throughout our region and South Georgia were devastated by severe weather causing multiple tornados.
These horrific storms resulted in school closures, power outages and massive property damage. In case of such event, we annually allocate funding to the Governor’s Emergency Fund to aid citizens in times of critical need. The funding placed in the 2017 amended budget will help our state supplement community aid and recovery efforts until federal funding is received from FEMA.
I hope you’ll join me and Paul in sending prayers to all who lost loved ones in these devastating storms. Thank you to Governor Deal and GEMA leadership for their swift action and immediate response!
Casino Gaming
One of the most hotly debated topics this year is over Georgia’s casino gaming future. On Wednesday, my colleagues took the first step in changing our laws in regard to gambling. The bill would allow for the construction of two “destination resorts” which would include casinos. One would be located in metro Atlanta, while the second would be located in another part of the state. Unlike the 2016 bill, this year’s proposal dedicates more funding to the HOPE Scholarship program and education initiatives. Those in support of the legislation believe that these resorts will bring additional revenue and economic development to Georgia.
Those against the measure fear that crime levels and gambling addictions will eventually end up causing the state more money in the long run. Last week, an AJC poll showed 56 percent of Georgian’s support casino gaming. I would like to know what you think! Please reach out to me and let me know your feelings on this particular issue.
In future weeks, items concerning health care, education and public safety will be up for discussion and I will update you on bills regarding such. In closing, I want to say a special thank you to my sweet Paul. Paul is by my side every day in Atlanta and has become quite the Capitol tour guide when we host friends from home. If you would like a first-class tour from Paul, let us know!
I can’t tell you enough how much I enjoy serving y’all. I am so blessed to do so and I promise that I will continue to work for the betterment and advancement of our beloved home. God bless each and every one of you and may the good Lord continue to bless our great state!