Legislative Report: House Approves $20.8 Billion Budget for FY2015

By Rep. Alan Powell 

The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Monday to approve a $20.8 billion state budget plan for fiscal year 2015, which begins July 1. 

HB 744 reflects an overall increase of $916 million, or 4.6 percent more than the fiscal year 2014 budget as originally approved. Year-to-date revenues for the first seven months of the current fiscal year show an increase of 5 percent over last year. 

In the House-approved budget, nearly three-quarters of all new revenue goes toward education, with 59 percent of the increase going toward a $538.6 million infusion for K-12 schools, which includes $314.2 million to go toward eliminating teacher furlough days, increasing instructional days or raising teacher salaries, at the discretion of local school boards. That funding is a partial restoration of austerity cuts from previous years. 

Georgia’s investment in higher education is boosted by $120.7 million (13 percent of new revenue) in the House plan. That amount includes a $22.5 million increase for the HOPE Scholarship program to cover more recipients and increase the award amount; $12.2 million to increase the HOPE Grant program to provide full tuition payment for qualifying technical college students; and $10 million for a new low-interest loan program for technical college students. 

The University System and Technical College System will also receive $14.4 million for merit-based pay adjustments and employee recruitment and retention initiatives. 

Georgia Public Safety officers receive merit-based pay increases in the House plan, and an additional $5.4 million will go to the GBI and Natural Resources for the final year of a three-year House initiative to retain experienced, certified law enforcement personnel in state service by providing competitive salaries.  The Department of Corrections, the Department of Juvenile Justice and the District Attorneys’ offices are also allocated additional funds for pay increases. 

On a local note, $1.2 million is included for officers and operating costs for the new Georgia State Patrol Post 52 on I-85 in Hart County, which will directly serve Hart and Franklin counties and the I-85 corridor. 

In health and human services related expenditures, HB 744 includes $7.3 million for 175 additional child protective services workers, $6.8 million for Mercer and Morehouse Schools of Medicine operating grants and $1 million to enhance trauma care services statewide. 

The bond package in the House version of the budget totals $813 million, including $273 million for K-12 capital projects; $215.7 million for construction and repairs on Georgia’s college, university and technical college campuses; $175.5 million for economic development projects, with $35 million going toward the state’s cost for deepening the Savannah Harbor; and $148.4 million for other projects such as prison upgrades, two helicopters for the Georgia State Patrol and the replacement of law enforcement vehicles across the state.  HB 744 now goes to the Senate for its consideration. 

Other House Action: During a legislative week shortened by Georgia’s second winter storm of the season, the House also approved and sent to the Senate the following legislation:

• HB 477, which would allow any member of the Judicial Retirement System who has not withdrawn his or her benefits to transfer those credits into the Employees’ Retirement System.
• HB 646, which would delete the “full-time chief magistrate” definition relating to the Magistrates Retirement Fund of Georgia.
• HB 741, which would direct the Environmental Protection Division director to require any sludge land permit applicant to provide written verification that the proposed facility complies with applicable zoning or land use ordinances.
• HB 773, which would provide exceptions for shooting ranges, safety courses and licensed firearms dealers to the state law making it illegal to fire a gun or pistol near a public highway or street.
• HB 835, which would add certain substances to the list of Schedule 1 controlled substances.
• HB 877, which would allow local authorities to establish a plan for the use of motorized carts and other personal transportation vehicles to safely operate on public paths and roadways. 

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• State Rep. Alan Powell (R-Hartwell) represents the 32^nd District (Franklin, Hart and Madison counties) in the Georgia House of Representatives. Contact him at 613 Coverdell Legislative Office Building, Atlanta, GA 30334; by phone at 404-463-3793; or by email at [email protected].