With a full legislative day to spare, House and Senate leaders came to agreement on a FY 2019 budget this morning after a long weekend of quiet negotiations. But the reveal was anything but quiet as House Appropriations Chairman Terry England (R-Auburn) announced that a revised revenue estimate from Governor Nathan Deal had resulted in an additional $195 million for budget writers to allocate. Conferees made a splash with the additional funds, allocating over $166 million to public education, fully funding the Quality Basic Education formula for K-12 schools for the first time in over ten years and eliminating austerity cuts. More on the other changes in the FY 2019 budget, including $100 million in new bond funding for transit, in today’s #GoldDomeReport.  

In this Report:

• Conferees Agree on FY 2019 Budget
• Floor Action

Conferees Agree on FY 2019 Budget

Early this morning, the Conference Committee on the FY 2019 Budget revealed the fruits of their labor. Included in the compromise proposal was an additional $194,759,788 in spending, the result of a long-awaited increase in the state tax revenue estimate from Governor Deal. On the Governor’s recommendation, $166,747,626 of that funding went directly to public education, providing for full funding of the Quality Basic Education formula for the first time since at least 2002. Among the other notable allocations in the compromise agreement:

• $13.6M for $100 million in new bond funding for transit projects by the Georgia Road and Tollway Authority (new allocation)
• $4,662,508 increase to increase relative and agency foster care rates from Senate proposal of $3.85 per day to $5 per day ($20,271,778 in total)
• $979,591 to reinstate ten regional Emergency Medical Services training positions (new allocation)
• $673,122 increase for the K-12 pupil transportation formula ($903,377 in total)
• $585,538 increase for development of a mental health crisis services and suicide prevention mobile application ($1,416,611 total)
• $250,000 for analysis of the Medicaid delivery system for the purposes of identifying efficiencies and service delivery improvement opportunities (new allocation)
• $250,000 increase for start-up grants for Federally Qualified Health Centers in Bryan, Early, and Emanuel counties ($750,000 total)
• $200,000 increase for St. Joseph’s Mercy Care Indigent Services ($700,000 in total)
• $100,000 increase for state hub to support independent living for disabled citizens in Southwest Georgia ($200,000 total)

The full Conference Committee Report for the FY 2019 budget can be found here.

Floor Action

The House had considered the following propositions as of today’s Report deadline:

• HR 1160 House Study Committee on Risks Associated with Kratom; create 149-11
• HR 1198  United States Congress; increase per diem rate for nursing care in state veteran homes to 75 percent of state private nursing rates; urge 167-0
• HR 1257 House Study Committee on the Workforce Shortage an Crisis in Home and Community Based Settings; create 167-1
• HR 1317 House Study Committee on Reforming Real Property Taxation; create 168-1
• HR 1397 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA); withdraw the Electronic Logging Device regulation on the agriculture industry; encourage 162-2
• HR 1430 United States Air Force; deploy F-35 fighter jets to military air bases in Georgia; encourage 169-0
• HR 1612 Federal government; take extra measures to provide necessary health care and additional needs of our veterans and families affected by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune; urge 164-1
• SB 127 Failure to Provide Notice Not Rendering Responsible Person Liable; victim to file a motion in a criminal case to assert his or her rights; allow 170-0
• SB 325 "Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Act"; Georgia Composite Medical Board to administer the compact in this state; authorize 153-13
• SB 338 Administrative Procedure; agency rule making; modify requirements 173-0
• SB 339 Board of Regents and University System; establishment of free speech policies for institutions of the university system; provide 110-57
• SB 364 Delegation of Authority to Physician Assistants; higher supervisory ratio; completed a board approve anesthesiologist assistant program; authorize 160-1
• SB 369 Revenues Collected from Fines and Fees; payments to Peace Officers' Annuity and Benefit Fund; fees collected in criminal and quasi-criminal cases prior to adjudication of guilt; provide 111-63
• SB 427 Child Support in Final Verdict or Decree; court's discretion in making a final determination of support; provisions; change 171-0
• SB 432 'Georgia Tax Credit Business Case Act' 154-15
• SB 445 Department of Transportation; standards for contracts; contract bidding process and award procedure; provide 149-17
• SB 461  Barbers and Cosmetologists; provisions; change 151-18
• SR 146 Certain Rights for Victims; suffered or harmed due to an act committed; in violation of the criminal or juvenile delinquency laws; provide 169-0
• SR 745 Robert H. "Bob" Bell Interchanges; DeKalb County; dedicate 170-1

The Senate had considered the following propositions as of today’s Report deadline:

• HB 59 Revenue and taxation; tax credits for rehabilitation of historic structures; revise procedures, conditions, and limitations 47-7
• HB 185 Probate court; associate judges; change provisions TABLED
• HB 189 Contract Cancellation Act; enact TABLED
• HB 190 Domestic relations; marriage articles and antenuptial agreements; change provisions 53-0
• HR 238 Sales and use tax; annual allocation of 75 percent of revenue from sale of outdoor recreation equipment for protection and preservation of conservation land; provide 52-0
• HB 301 Income tax; certain physicians; delete deduction to create new credit; provisions 49-3
• HB 327 Alternative ad valorem tax; motor vehicles; change manner for determining fair market value TABLED
• HB 332  Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act; enact 51-0
• HB 699 Firefighter certification; military firefighter training may be accepted as required basic training; provide 51-0
• HB 697 Sales and use tax; sale or use of tangible personal property to certain nonprofit health centers; extend exemption for five additional years 52-0
• HB 703 Governor's Office of Public Safety Support; create 50-0
• HB 714 Motor vehicles; reference date to federal regulations regarding the safe operation of motor carriers and commercial motor vehicles; update 52-0
• HB 761 Motor vehicles; filing of certificates of title by dealers; provide 53-0
• HB 787 Education; certain provisions relative to charter schools; revise 44-11
• HB 808 Courts; term of court in certain counties in the Waycross Circuit; change 54-0
• HB 809  Motor vehicles; Georgia State Patrol motor vehicles for traffic law enforcement may be a solid color; provide 54-1
• HB 815 Special license plates; Georgia Masonic Charities; establish 52-0
• HB 818 Insurance; health care provider shall choose the method of reimbursement by insurer; provide 49-0
• HB 834 Landlord and tenant; termination of a rental or lease agreement under circumstances involving family violence; provide 54-0
• HB 871 Sales and use tax; 50 percent of the sales price of manufactured homes; create exemption 50-2
• HB 938 Insurance; limited credit insurance agency license; provide 50-1
• HB 973 Ethics in government; lobbyists shall acknowledge and agree to abide by sexual harassment policy of General Assembly; provisions 51-0
• HB 992 Health; use of automated external defibrillators; eliminate certain requirements 51-0
• HR 993 Business court; state-wide jurisdiction; create TABLED
• HR 1103 Property; conveyance of certain state owned real property; authorize 52-1