Governor Brian Kemp on Tuesday, flanked by Georgia legislative leaders, signed the amended fiscal year 2019 budget, which will tide the state over until FY 2020 begins July 1st.
The new additions to the annual mid-year adjustment to the state budget include money towards school safety, helping farmers impacted by Hurricane Michael, and public healthcare.
Said Kemp Tuesday at the signing ceremony at North Atlanta High School:
“Budgets are reflections of your values – your priorities for today and vision for tomorrow. In Georgia, we value education, healthcare, public safety, and economic development. We have a heart for safer schools, better healthcare options, safer communities, and more jobs for hardworking Georgians. I am proud to sign the amended budget for fiscal year 2019 and have confidence these investments will yield big dividends for Georgians, young and old. Together, we will continue to ensure that Georgia’s best days are ahead.”
Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, elected alongside Kemp last November, spoke on the fulfillment of campaign promises that Republican candidates had made in the lead-up to their clean sweep of statewide races, which came as something of a surprise to some prognosticators expecting a “blue wave.”
“Today’s amended FY 2019 budget honors those commitments while investing in relief efforts for Southwest Georgia and funding programs that will set our state up for long-term success,” said Duncan. “I’m appreciative of the work done by Governor Kemp, Speaker Ralston, and the Appropriations Chairmen in both chambers.”
Other notable budget increases for the remainder of 2019 include:
- $69 million ($30,000 per public school) for school security grants
- $500,000 towards an anti-gang task force at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation
- $35 million for a new Aviation Academy that will be part of Chattahoochee Technical College at Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport
- $8.4 million in funding for the state’s APEX program, meant to increase options for students to access mental healthcare
- $54 million for Medicaid and the Indigent Care Trust Fund
