ATLANTA — The Georgia General Assembly passed a $32.4 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year that gives $4,000-$6,000 raises to law enforcement officers while teachers and other state employees get a $2,000 boost.
While Gov. Brian Kemp got some of what he wanted in the spending plan, he warned senators that there were holes in the 2024 fiscal year budget. However, he didn't specify what those holes were.
Late Wednesday night, the House passed the state budget with a vote of 170-3. The Senate passed the budget earlier in the evening.
The $32.4 billion spending plan, which covers the fiscal year starting July 1, is a comprise between the two bodies after Senators proposed more than $100 million in cuts to higher education.
The approved budget cut $66 million from Kemp's proposal for the University System of Georgia’s teaching budget. Georgia Public Broadcast will see its budget by roughly $1.4 million — which isn't as severe as the $3.7 million originally proposed by Senate Republicans.
The $66 million cut is more than half of what lawmakers gave Augusta University for a new electronic records system at the Medical College of Georgia. The two items seem to be related.
WellStar is negotiating a possible takeover of Augusta University Health System. Lawmakers previously told 11Alive they questioned where the money for the record system is going, and WellStar has drawn the ire of Republican senators for opposing efforts to relax regulations on building new hospitals.
The state university system has $504 million in carry-forward funds from the last fiscal year that it can use to offset the cuts, Sen. Blake Tillery said.
Under the budget, more than 4,900 law enforcement officers across 12 state agencies will receive $4,000 raises. Front-line officers in certain departments will get $6,000. More than $23.5 million is set aside in the budget for those raises, according to the House Budget and Research Office.
Tillery told 11Alive the raises were needed to keep experience officers who were nearing and contemplating retirement.
"There's a learning curve with new troopers," he said. "So, (they) get a boost. It doesn't quite make them level with the states around us."
The budget also gives an additional $50.2 million in lottery funds, funding the HOPE scholarship at 100% of tuition — fulfilling Kemp's wishes.
The budget now heads to Kemp's desk for final approval. During a speech from the Senate chamber Wednesday night, the governor expressed concerns about the spending plan
"There are significant holes in this year's final budget that my office will need to work closely with you all, the House, and the Office of Planning and Budget to address in the coming months," Kemp said. "As we have done in years' past, our job is to make the tough decisions necessary to keep the (financial health) of this state on sound footing. I believe there's work to be done after the session."