Just after midnight, the 2021 Legislative Session concluded with many legislative measures sneaking in under the wire—and many others lying dead on the House and Senate floors. The House and Senate compromise on the FY22 State Budget was the most important measure completing the gauntlet yesterday, although the House held off with its final approval until near the midnight hour. Find key details on the spending package, as well as a final recap of floor action from Legislative Day 40 in this special wrap-up edition of the #GoldDomeReport.

Our team thanks you for your readership during this Legislative Session, and we look forward to seeing you from time to time during the remainder of 2021 and back in daily action on the second Monday of 2022!

In today’s Report:

• House, Senate Agree to Compromise FY 22 Budget
• Floor Action Recap from Legislative Day 40

House, Senate Agree to Compromise FY 22 Budget

After a number of “fits and starts” during the day with Conferees to address HB 81, the General Assembly approved the spending plan for FY 2022, beginning on July 1, 2021. Below are highlights from the bill. The full budget is found here.

This coming year’s budget is based upon revenue of $27.2 billion, which is more than $1.3 billion over the current year’s budget. The added funds equal about a 5.2 percent increase. Note too that across the budget you will see recognition of the federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. As you might expect, Georgia’s spending is geared mostly on education and health/human services areas. The below information is a sampling of changes and decisions made by the Conference Committee to HB 81 (note total funding will include federal and other sources of funding):

Judicial Council – total funding of $15.58 million

• $236,113 increased funds for the operation of the weighted caseload project
• $250,000 increased funds for legal services for kinship care families
• $75,000 for Georgia Courts Registrar
• $21,600 increased funds for on-time matching funds for the child support collaborative grant

Judicial Qualifications Commission – total funding of $1.05 million

• $251,114 increased funds for two attorney positions
• $3,795 increased funds to restore personnel reductions

Council of Juvenile Court Judges – total funding of $1.81 million

• Conferees did not agree to the Governor’s add of $122,600 in increased funds for a Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative Statewide Coordinator position – no funds

Grants to Counties for Juvenile Court Judges – total funding of $6.99 million

• $25,000 increased funds related to the creation of the Columbia County Judicial Circuit

District Attorneys – total funding of $82 million

• $1.63 million increased funds for on-step increase for assistant district attorneys based on the 2020 pay scale
• $715,057 increased funds for personnel for seven additional assistant district attorneys
• Conferees did not agree to added funds of $540,000 for personnel to reflect a restoration of funds from hiring delays
• $64,497 increased funds for costs associated with each additional judgeship in the Cobb, Flint and Ogeechee Judicial Circuits
• $1.37 million increased funds for support costs for the Columbia County Judicial Circuit

Superior Court Judges – total funding of $72.22 million

• $523,392 increased funds for Senior Judge general usage from the current allocation of .75 days
• $2.35 million increased funds for law clerks for judges without any, prioritizing multi-county circuits

Georgia Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission – total funding of $2.98 million

• $461,100 increased funds for two auditors, one attorney, one financial assistant and one training specialist position
• $300,000 increased funds for one-time expenses related to the e-filing system

Compensation per General Assembly Resolutions – total funding of $2.49 million

• The funding is to purchase annuities for wrongfully convicted individuals pursuant to passage of HR 24, HR 25, HR 26 (2021 session)

Department of Agriculture – total funding of $59.81 million

• Consumer Protection – total funding of $37.48 million
  • $508,912 increased fund for increase to base salaries to retain critical positions
  • $241,740 increased funds for one soil scientist, one compliance specialist, and two vehicles pursuant to HB 1057 (2020 Session)
• Marketing and Promotion – total funding of $6.85 million
  • $333,350 increased funds to establish the Farmers and Consumers Market Bulletin as the official regulatory and educational tool for the Georgia Agricultural Tax Exemption (GATE) program
  • Conferees retained $120,000 and indicated that the funds are to be redirected for the transition of ownership of farmers markets in Thomasville, Cordele, and Savannah to local authorities to instead fund repairs and maintenance for any and all state farmers markets
  • $100,000 increased funds for one-time funding for the Southwest Georgia Project for a community food hub to bolster Southwest Georgia’s farmers, economy and public health and leverage other funds

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities – total funding of $1.37 billion

• Addictive Diseases – total funding of $96.55 million
  • $125,000 restored funds for Hepatitis C projects
  • $2.71 million for increased funds for core services to promote equity among providers
  • Recognize $45.98 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds for the Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse Grant CFDA
• Adult Developmental Disabilities Services – total funding of $442.77 million
  • $7.02 million increased funds to annualize funds for a behavioral health crisis center for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities
  • $12.34 million increased funds for a 5 percent rate increase for intellectual and developmental disability providers with approval by CMS
  • $4.65 million in restored funds for non-waiver services in family support
  • Language: pending final approval by CMS reflect the department’s intent to amend Appendix K to provide a time-limited rate increase for providers serving the intellectual and developmental disability population, including adult day centers and residential services
  • Language: pending final approval by CMS, reflect the intent to continue to serve the estimated 188 individuals who are currently receiving community living supports services who may be impacted by the COMP waiver renewal with alternate service(s). By December 1, 2021, provide a report to the chairs of the House Appropriations Human Resources Subcommittee and the Senate Appropriations Human Development and Public Health Subcommittee on how this population will continue to receive services based on their assessed need following the extended transition period.
  • $1.5 million increased funds for respite services with priority to rural communities
  • $100,000 increased funds for Rockdale Cares for respite services
• Adult Mental Health Services- total funding of $457.67 million
  • $114,039 added funds to support the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline pursuant to the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020
  • $177,748 added funds for suicide prevention related to the COVID-19 pandemic ($70,000) and one suicide epidemiologist ($107,748)
  • $6.48 million increased funds for core services to promote equity among providers
  • Conferees did not agree to increase funds for the Bradley Center mental health crisis services
  • Conferees did not agree to increase funds by $1 million for advancements in mental health telehealth capabilities; they did add language: partner with existing county resources to deliver mental health telehealth
  • Language: recognize $45.59 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds for Community Mental Health Services Block Grants CFDA 93.958 for both child and adolescent and adult mental health needs
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services – total funding of $59.19 million
  • $2 million increased funds to accelerate the expansion of the Georgia Apex Program
  • $102,502 increased funds for mental health and suicide prevention training in schools ($12,300) and a youth suicide prevention specialist ($89,602
  • $1.48 million reduction in funds for crisis respite home due to non-implementation
  • Language: recognize $45.49 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds for Community Mental Health Services Block Grants CFDA 93.958 for both child and adolescent and adult mental health needs
• Direct Care Support Services – total funding of $123,15 million
  • $300,000 provided funds for contracts for facility support

Department of Community Affairs – total funding of $286.61 million

• Special Housing Initiatives – total funding of $6.73 million
  • $168,437 increased funds for the Southern Georgia Regional Commission’s Area Agency on Aging
  • Language: recognize $12.35 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program CFDA 97.024
• State Community Development Programs – total funding of $3,68 million
  • $50,000 increased funds for preservation of historic sites
  • $100,000 increased funds for food banks
• State Economic Development Programs – total funding of $14.08 million
  • $2.5 million reduction in funds; utilize existing uncommitted Regional Economic Business Assistance (REBA) funds to meet future obligations
  • Language: for any jurisdiction levying the tax authorized by O.C.G.A. 48-13-51, which has collected more than $15 million per year in any of the three preceding years, the private sector nonprofit organization engaged to promote tourism, conventions, and trade shows shall not be altered or changed by such jurisdiction unless and until the state commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs approves such alteration or change in writing.
• Payments to Georgia Environmental Finance Authority – total funding of $1.17 million
  • $500,000 reduction for one-time funding for the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District to complete the state’s five year water plan update and reflect a base funding of $250,000
• Payments to OneGeorgia Authority – total funding of $73.52 million
  • $39.55 million increased funds to establish a Rural Innovation Fund to assist rural communities in developing targeted solutions for economic, medical, technological, or infrastructure challenges in their regions
  • $10 million increased funds to establish a broadband infrastructure grant program to enable rural communities to leverage existing federal, local and private resources to quickly target high-need broadband expansion within their areas
  • $150,000 increased funds to hire a grant administrator and perform mapping maintenance to enable rural communities to leverage existing federal, local, and private resources to quickly target high-need broadband expansion within their areas

Department of Community Health – total funding of $17.3 billion

• Departmental Administration – total funding of $428.62 million
  • $50,000 added funds and utilize existing funds of $750,000 for the operations of an All-Payer Claims Database
  • $834,684 increased funds for three senior leadership positions to support the department’s increasing workload, including contract oversight
  • $724,641 increased funds for a business support analyst, a financial analyst, and three compliance specialists to begin October 1, 2021 to support quality incentive payment reimbursements
• Health Care Access and Improvement – total funding of $20.34 million
  • $500,000 increased funds for two Federally Qualified Health Center start-up grants in Jeff Davis and Marion Counties
  • $6 million reduction in one-time funds for Rural Hospital Stabilization Grants from $15 million to $9 million and review the grant process and report potential new formal grant processes to the Chairs of the House Appropriations Health Subcommittee and Senate Appropriations Community Health Subcommittee, the Chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, and the House Budget and Research Office and the Senate Budget and Evaluation Office
  • $300,000 increased funds to provide an additional three-year grant to rural hospitals for Electronic Intensive Care units to improve patient outcomes and reduce the need for long distance travel away from local communities to obtain this level of care
  • $100,000 elimination of funds for start-up funding for a charity clinic
  • $125,000 increased funds for South Central Primary Care Center dental program
• Healthcare Facility Regulation – total funding of $38.44 million
  • $7.45 million increased funds to support strategic measures for stabilizing staffing and addressing the surveying backlog in the nursing home program and submit reports twice a year addressing progress on implementation of the stabilization plan and the reduction of the survey backlog to the Chairs of the House Appropriations Health Subcommittee and the Senate Appropriations Community Health Subcommittee, the Chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, and the House Budget and Research Office and the Senate Budget and Evaluation Office
  • $265,309 added fund for a nurse manager and two business support analysts to begin October 1, 2021 to support skilled nursing facility quality incentive payment reimbursements
• Indigent Care Trust Fund – total funding of $505.24 million
  • $35 million increased funds to annualize the state match for DSH payments for private deemed and non-deemed hospitals
• Medicaid: Aged, Blind and Disabled – total funding of $6.76 billion
  • $19.96 million to update nursing home reimbursement rates and general and professional liability, property insurance, and property tax pass-through rate components to reflect 2019 cost reports with 5 percent inflation and amend the state plan to update the cost report no less than every two years
  • $3.47 million increased funds for skilled nursing centers to update the general and professional liability, property insurance and property tax pass-through rate components to current costs
  • $19.59 million increased funds and utilize federal funds to reflect the 10 percent increase in FMAP for home and community-based providers from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
  • $30,505 increased funds for a 3 percent increase in dental reimbursement rates for 15 select dental codes
  • $250,000 increased funds to implement portable radiography and accredited mobile imaging services in nursing homes, assisted living facilities or in the home
  • $12 million increased funds to provide supplemental quality incentive payments to eligible skilled nursing facilities limited to appropriated amount
  • $387,270 increased funds for a 5.9 percent increase in nursing home ventilator reimbursement rate
  • $8 million increased funds for a one-year hold harmless for skilled nursing home facilities that meet minimum quality standards as prescribed by the Department of losses under the transition to the 2019 cost report
• Medicaid: Low-Income Medicaid – total funding of $5.22 billion
  • $116.39 million increased funds for growth in Medicaid based on projected need
  • $4.69 million added to adjust funds to reflect savings from the temporary 6.2 percent FMAP increase through September 30, 2021
  • $7.09 million increased funds to increase 18 select primary care and OB/GYN codes to 2020 Medicare levels
  • $84,765 increased funds for a 3 percent increase in dental reimbursement rates for 15 select dental codes
• State Health Benefit Plan – total funding $3.74 billion
  • Language: utilize existing funds for pilot program for drug disposal or deactivation of prescription drugs
  • Language: utilize existing funds to begin a pilot program for the use of care coordination and technology in rural areas for patients with chronic medical conditions
• Health Care Workforce, Georgia Board of: Graduate Medical Education – total funding of $25.08 million
  • Language: coordinate with medical education programs to develop graduate medical programs to address the shortage of medical examiners and forensic pathologists
  • $300,000 increased funds for the initial planning work for the establishment of two graduate medical education programs

Department of Early Care and Learning – total funding of $57.82 million

• Child Care Services – total funding of $324 million
  • $3.5 million increased funds for the Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program to provide assistance to low-income families for the cost of childcare
  • Language: recognize $606.96 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds for the Child Care and Development Block Grant CFDA 93.575
  • Language: recognize $26.72 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds for Head Start Coordination CFDA 93.600 with funds going directly to childcare providers for Head Start coordination
  • Language: recognize $970.77 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds for Child Care Stabilization Grants
  • Language: recognize $17.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds for an increase in the matching portion of the CCDF Mandatory and Matching funds CFDA 93.596
• Pre-Kindergarten Program – total funding of $382.73 million
  • $1.74 million increased funds for pre-k classroom operations by 2.5 percent
  • $81.149 increased funds for one pre-k specialist position that was eliminated in FY 2021

Department of Education – total funding of $12.33 billion

• Agricultural Education – total funding of $15.29 million
  • $589,272 increased funds to offset the austerity reduction for the Area Teacher Program, Extended Day/Year, Young Farmers, and Youth Camps
  • $340,000 increased funds for four young farmer positions in Fulton, Pickens, Ware and Worth Counties
  • $68,000 added funds to provide for eight new programs
• Central Office – total funding of $29.15 million
  • $250,000 increased funds for a Law Enforcement Teaching Students (LETS) program and leverage matching funds
• Charter Schools – total funding of $28.58 million
  • $1 million increased funds for charter facility grants pursuant to HB 430 (2017 session)
• Curriculum Development – total funding of $9.40 million
  • $323,000 transferred funds from the Technology/Career Education Program to the Curriculum Development program for the Rural Teacher Training initiative. Any training provided for the initiative will be outside of the regular school day in order to not remove teachers from the classroom.
  • $344,000 increased funds for computer science grants per SB 108 (2019 session)
  • $1.63 million increased funds to fund SB 48 (2019 session) screening mandate and a state educational agency dyslexia specialist
  • $240,000 increased funds for rural coding equipment in partnership with Georgia Cyber Center
• GNETS – total funding of $64.68 million
  • $3.38 million reduction in funds to formula funds for enrollment and training and experience decline
• Non-Quality Basic Education Formula Grants – total funding of $14.76 million
  • $249,472 reduction in formula funds for Sparsity Grants based on enrollment data
  • $268,221 reduction in formula funds for Residential Treatment Facilities based on attendance and participate in developing a new funding formula based on attendance and funding needs
  • $950,000 increased funds for feminine hygiene grants and prioritize grants to school systems that have low property tax wealth and high percentage of economically disadvantaged students
  • $125,000 increased funds for a residential treatment facilities budget analyst/grant manager
  • Reflect $268,221 in federal funds for residential treatment facilities as authorized by the CARES Act to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic
• Nutrition – total funding of $787.17 million
  • $5 million increased funds for school nutrition staff
• Pre-School Disabilities Services – total funding of $36.06 million
  • $4.94 million reduction in funds for formula based on enrollment decline
• Quality Basic Education – total funding of $11.16 billion
  • $57.34 million increased funds to reflect an adjustment in the employer share of the TRS from 19.06 to 19.81 percent
  • $52.93 million reduction to adjust funds for enrollment decline and an increase in training and experience and health insurance
  • $35.67 million increased funds for State Commission Charter School supplement
  • $863,849 reduction in funds for differentiated pay for newly certified math and science teachers
  • Language: maintain current funding and hold harmless for formula reduction for school nurse funding ($1.1 million)
  • $567.54 million increased funds to offset the austerity reduction for k-12 education in QBE and other grants
  • Conferees did not fund increase for grants for system-collaborative state charter schools
  • Language: recognize the $4.24 billion in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds for the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief Fund
• Technology/Career Education – total funding of $69.98 million
  • $73,991 increased funds to reflect an adjustment in the employer share of TRS from 19.06 to 19.81 percent
  • $840,924 increased funds to offset the austerity reduction for Extended Day/Year, Vocational Supervisors, Industry Certification, and youth Apprenticeship programs
  • $250,000 reduction for unimplemented pilot program
• Testing – total funding of $48.44 million
  • $2.31 million increased funds to administer Georgia Milestones in accordance with federal requirements
  • $125,000 increased funds for a pilot program for Computer Science Principles AP exams with a focus on schools and systems with no AP coursework

Department of Human Services – total funding of $1.89 billion

• After School Care – total funding of $20.22 million
  • $4.72 million increased funds to support community partnerships to stem learning loss due to COVID-19 for k-12 students
• Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention – total funding of $8.83 million
  • Language: recognize $1.13 million in marriage and divorce fee collections for the Children’s Trust Fund for child abuse and neglect prevention
  • Language: recognize $8.39 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Grants CFDA 93.590
• Child Welfare Service – total funding of $398.6 million
  • $951,700 restored funds for contracts for educational services with Multi-Agency Alliance for Children
  • $200,000 increased funds for contracts for vocational training services with Broken Shackle Ranch
  • $65,000 increased funds for CASAs for development and start-up for underserved Echols, Henry and Lowndes Counties
  • Language: recognize $3.33 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds for Child Abuse and Neglect State Grants CFDA 93.669
• Departmental Administration – total funding of $123.15 million
  • $7.25 million increased funds to begin the implementation of the Patients First Act (2019 session)
• Elder Abuse Investigations and Prevention – total funding of $27.49 million
  • $973,765 increased funds for personnel for 13 adult protective services caseworkers to investigate reports of abuse, neglect, and or exploitation of seniors and adults with disabilities
  • $231,226 increased funds for personnel for three public guardianship caseworkers to coordinate and monitor all services needed for the health and welfare of guardianship clients
• Federal Eligibility Benefit Services – total funding of $320 million
  • $943,603 increased funds to begin implementation of the Patients First Act (2019 Session)
  • Language: recognize $22 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds for Pandemic Emergency Assistance
• Out-of-Home Care – total funding of $369.4 million
  • $6.57 million increased funds to reflect the loss of Title IV-E funds associated with the October 1, 2021 implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act and the statewide transition to increased family-based placement settings
  • $14.36 million reduction in funds from a reduction in Out-of-Home Care utilization due to a decline in average monthly placements
  • $6.7 million increased funds to establish a therapeutic foster care program and leverage federal funds

Georgia Bureau of Investigation – total funding of $280.98 million

• Forensic Scientific Services – total funding of $43.6 million
  • $1.59 million increased funds for the recruitment and retention of medical examiners
  • $241,529 increased funds to expand a forensic pathology fellowship program with medical colleges
• Regional Investigative Services – total funding of $53.6 million
  • $1 million increased funds to annualize sworn positions
• Criminal Justice Coordinating Council – total funding of $116.46 million
  • $7.5 million reduction in one-time funds to establish a law enforcement training grant program for state and local law enforcement agencies and reflect $1 million at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center to construct a de-escalation and proper use of force training facility
• Criminal Justice Coordinating Council: Family Violence – total funding of $14.6 million
  • $1.07 million increased funds to provide a 9 percent increase to domestic violence shelters
  • $150,000 increased funds to fully fund two domestic violence shelters partially funded in FY 2020
  • $150,000 increased funds for sexual assault centers
  • Language: the Council shall engage stakeholders to evaluate the current funding formula for domestic violence shelters and sexual assault centers and study the merits of an updated formula that takes into account many of the factors involved, including but not limited to: number of services provided, number of bed nights provided, area poverty level, service area, and area population and the Council shall submit a report of their findings to the Chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations Committee by December 31, 2021

Department of Labor – total funding of $114.43 million

• Departmental Administration – Special Project – total funding $198,916
  • $198,916 added funds for a chief labor officer to be appointed, subject to appropriate legislation, to oversee all unemployment insurance matters and respond to financial audit requests

Department of Public Health – total funding of $693.9 million

• Adolescent and Adult Health Promotion – total funding of $40.12 million
  • $300,000 increased funds for Georgia CORE for screening for leading cancers, care coordination, and navigation, and prevention education
  • $365,000 increased funds for the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia
  • $200,000 increased funds for feminine hygiene products
  • $150,000 increased funds for a nurse peer assistance program to support nurses recovering from substance use, and report to the Chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees regarding outcomes by December 1, 2021
• Departmental Administration – total funding of $37.38 million
  • $857,986 added funds for a chief medical officer, a deputy commissioner of public health, and a chief data officer to support the agency with COVID-19 pandemic response as well as provide ongoing public health leadership
• Epidemiology – total funding of $11.85 million
  • Language: recognize federal funds for maintenance and operations of the new vaccine management system
• Infant and Child Health Promotion – total funding of $278.47 million
  • $1.01 million increased funds for newborn screening of Krabbe disease
  • Language: recognize $13.26 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds for Supplemental Nutrition-Women, Infants & Children CFDA 10.557
• Infectious Disease Control – total funding of $80.14 million
  • $85,650 increased funds for the second year of a three-year pilot for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for individuals at risk of HIV pursuant to passage of HB 290 (2019 session)

Department of Public Safety – total funding of $247.07 million

Across the agency, it creates two new job classes to retain experienced sworn personnel.

• Field Offices and Services – total funding of $133.46 million
  • $1.56 million increased funds for one 75-person trooper school
  • $796,788 increased funds to create two new job classes to retain experienced sworn personnel
  • Conferees did not fund education incentive payments to be established by the Board of Public Safety by January 2, 2022
• Public Safety Training Center, Georgia – total funding of $23.91 million
  • $191,525 increased funds for the School Resource Officer program
  • $49,875 increased funds for recruitment and retention of Georgia Fire Academy instructors
  • $199,318 increased funds to restore one vacant position and for one additional instructor position to provide training for volunteer firefighters
  • Conferees did not cut $150,000 for contracts
  • More than $1 million is added in one-time funds to construct a de-escalation and proper use of force training facility
  • $178,000 increased funds for a deputy director position

Board of Regents – total funding of $8.38 billion

• Agricultural Experiment Station – total funding of $90.42 million
  • $2.85 million increased funds for operations
• Cooperative Extension Service – total funding of $76.68 million
  • $2.65 million increased funds for operations
• Enterprise Innovation Institute – total funding of $26.44 million
  • $1.5 million increased funds for the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation (PI2) to fund grants and leverage private dollars
  • $500,000 increased funds for the Advanced Technology Development Center services for start-ups and establish an additional satellite location
• Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center – total funding of $6.99 million
  • $945,000 increased funds for a rural coding program in partnership with the Department of Education
• Georgia Research Alliance – total funds of $6.11 million
  • $500,000 increased funds for one-time funding of an eminent scholar for sickle cell research
  • $540,000 increased funds for GRA Venture program for grants and start-up loans
  • $500,000 increased funds to recruit Academy of Eminent Scholars into research fields with a focus on rural Georgia and historically black colleges and universities
• Medical College of Georgia Hospital and Clinics – total funding of $35.90 million
  • $1.62 million increased funds for operations
  • $100,000 increased funds to pursue a partnership with Clark Atlanta University for prostate cancer research
  • $5.2 million funding for matching funds for endowment gift for Medical College of Georgia 3+ program
• Public Libraries – total funding of $45 million
  • $47,146 increased funds for the Public Libraries formula based on an increase in the state population
  • $547,161 increased funds for materials grants by five cents from $.35 to $.40 per capita
• Public Service/Special Funding Initiatives – total funding of $22.08 million
  • $53,733 increased funds for operations for the Georgia Youth Science and Technology Center
  • $250,000 increased funds to finalize multi-year implementation plan to establish Middle Georgia State University as 2the state’s flagship aviation career path program
• Teaching – total funding of $7.33 billion
  • $7.77 million increased funds for year two of a three-year phase-in for increased medical education funding

Student Finance Commission and Authority – total funding of $1.06 billion

• Dual Enrollment – total funding of $82.8 million
  • $7.03 million reduction in funds for updated projections
• HOPE Grant – total funding of $71.87 million
  • $5.42 million increased funds to meet the projected need and address any additional needs in the Amended FY 2022 Budget

Technical College System of Georgia – total funding of $951.14 million

• Technical Education – total funding of $736.26 million
  • $150,000 elimination of funds for the Rural Technical Worker Pilot program
  • Language: provide funds for the TCSG High School Diploma program in Amended FY 2022 budget pursuant to final passage of SB 204 (2021 session)
  • Language: recognize $1.2 billion in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund CFDA 84.426F in the Technical College System

Department of Transportation – total funding of $3.65 billion

• Capital Construction Projects -total funding of $1.81 billion
  • $157.13 million increased funds for construction projects
  • Language: use existing state funds $6 million and federal funds $4 million to improve freight efficiency and truck safety by addressing various infrastructure issues
  • Language: utilize existing state funds $6 million and federal funds $4 million for broadband and rural development initiatives to enhance broadband access in underserved areas and promote safety and innovation on rural roadways
  • Language: Utilize $500,000 for road safety improvements
• Capital Maintenance Projects – total funding - $342.15 million
  • $21.74 million reduction in funds and language to recognize $67.12 million of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021
• Intermodal – total funding of $125.38 million
• $1.63 million increased funds to recognize additional revenue from HB 105 (2020 Session) for Athens-Clarke County Transit ($1million) and other transit projects
• $6 million increased funds for one-time funding from additional revenue from HB 105 (2020 Session) to MARTA for the rehabilitation of the Bankhead Station to support a regional economic project
• $50,000 increased funds for security improvements for state-owned rail line facilities
• $1 million increased funds for one-time funding for contract with consultant to assist in development of freight and logistics plan in conjunction with the Georgia Commission on Freight and Logistics
• $1 million increased funds for airport aid
• $75,000 increased funds for state railroad clearing
• Language:
  • Recognize Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 funds available for MARTA ($33.52 million) and Athens-Clarke County ($366,722)
  • Recognize $1.58 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds for Federal Transit Grants for Rural Areas CFDA 20.509

Floor Action Recap from Legislative Day 40

The following legislation achieved final approval on Legislative Day 40:

• HB 32 — Income tax; credit for teacher recruitment and retention program; provide
• HB 43 — Motor vehicles; require registration application forms to include optional information regarding certain conditions which may interfere with a registrant's ability to communicate
• HB 97 — Courts; oath for certain clerks of the probate court; require and provide
• HB 98 — State government; conditions for meetings and public hearings to be held by teleconference in emergency conditions; provide
• HB 124 — Funeral directors and embalmers; multiple cremation devices; provide
• HB 128 — Health; prohibit providers from discriminating against potential organ transplant recipients due solely to the physical or mental disability of the potential recipient
• HB 141 — Criminal procedure; requirements for awards made from Georgia Crime Victims Emergency Fund to medical service providers; provide
• HB 153 — Fair Business Practices Act of 1975; solicitations of services for corporate filings required by the Secretary of State; provide for requirements
• HB 154 — Domestic relations; protection of children; strengthen, clarify, and update provisions
• HB 160 — Revenue and taxation; water and sewer projects and costs tax (MOST); provide for audits of tax by state auditor under certain conditions
• HB 207 — Motor vehicles; electronic submission of certain documentation required of manufacturers, distributors, dealers, secondary metals recyclers, used motor vehicle parts dealers, and scrap metal processors by the Department of Revenue; provide
• HB 208 — State holidays; second Wednesday of February of each year as National Swearing-in Day in Georgia; provide
• HB 231 — Crimes and offenses; victims of stalking; expand applicability of protective orders
• HB 236 — Domestic relations; additional monitoring of victim after granting of a temporary protective order; provide
• HB 241 — Insurance; revise meaning of property insurance; change parameters under which certain contracts or agreements may be canceled
• HB 244 — Insurance; flood risk reduction in the enumerated list of county purposes for ad valorem taxes; include
• HB 245 — Professions and businesses; podiatry; amend a provision relating to fingerprint and criminal background checks
• HB 254 — Insurance; Commissioner's enforcement authority with regard to adjusters; increase
• HB 258 — Crimes and offenses; response to State v. Williams, 2020 Ga. LEXIS 85; provisions
• HB 273 — Distilled spirits; initiate a referendum election for the authorization of the issuance of licenses; provide additional method
• HB 282 — Ad valorem tax; qualified timberland property; add a definition
• HB 286 — Local government; restrict ability of county governing authorities to reduce funding for county police departments
• HB 306 — Corporations, partnership, and associations; corporations may hold shareholders' meetings by means of remote communication; provide
• HB 307 — Georgia Telehealth Act; revise
• HB 317 — Excise tax; revise definition of innkeeper to include marketplace facilitators; provisions
• HB 327 — Organized Retail Crime Prevention Act; enact
• HB 336 — Agriculture; hemp farming; compliance with federal laws and regulations; provide
• HB 346 — Jarom's Act; enact
• HB 354 — State Board of Cemeterians and Funeral Service; report suspected unlawful activity to the sheriff's office and the Attorney General; require
• HB 363 — Crimes and offenses; protection of elder persons; revise definitions
• HB 370 — Health; term limits for members of joint hospital authorities; provide
• HB 392 — Alcoholic beverages; licenses for retail sale packages of alcoholic beverages for consumption off premises shall be subject to regulation as to distance from schools as determined by the local governing authority; provide
• HB 443 — Torts; transfer of structured settlement payment rights; provide new requirements
• HB 451 — Ad valorem tax; property; fair market value applicable to inventor; provisions
• HB 454 — Insurance; certain coverage requirements concerning providers that become out-of-network during a plan year; provide
• HB 458 — Georgia Composite Medical Board; require certain training relating to sexual misconduct for members
• HB 465 — Local government; imposing civil penalties upon an alarm systems contractor for a false alarm that occurs through no fault of alarm systems contractor; prohibit
• HB 466 — Motor vehicles; number of required hours in the intervention component of DUI Alcohol or Drug Use Risk Reduction Programs; reduce
• HB 470 — Property; no plans are required when units are not designated by physical structures; provide
• HB 479 — Criminal procedure; revise certain arrest powers; provisions
• HB 480 — Property; creation, declaration and priority of liens for labor, services, or materials performed or furnished by registered interior designers; provide
• HB 488 — Courts; increase minimum compensation for chief magistrates and others; provide
• HB 498 — Ad valorem tax; property; expand an exemption for agricultural equipment and certain farm products
• HB 548 — Social services; reasonable access to records concerning reports of child abuse to the Administrative Office of the Courts; provide
• HB 553 — State government; participation in hearings by electronic communications; provide
• HB 562 — Criminal procedure; add DFCS case managers to people for whom arrest warrants may be issued only by certain judicial officers
• HB 567 — Newborn Screening and Genetics Advisory Committee; create
• HB 574 — Animals; Companion Local Government Animal Trust Fund for reimbursement of impoundment expenses incurred by local governments; provide
• HB 575 — Ad valorem tax; authorize on premises processing and marketing of agricultural products as a qualifying conservation use
• HB 577 — Highways, bridges, and ferries; proposal guaranty for bids upon certain projects; provide
• HB 588 — Transportation; eligible expenditures; Georgia Freight Railroad Program; provisions
• HB 591 — Mental health; marriage and family therapists to perform certain acts which physicians and others are authorized to perform; authorize
• HB 611 — State government; definition of small business; change
• HB 617 — Postsecondary education; student athletes may receive compensation for use of name, image, or likeness; provide
• HB 619 — Heritage trust program; sale of Patrick's Fishing Paradise to a private entity; authorize
• HB 631 — Georgia Crime Information Center; develop a system to collect information on an individual's ability to communicate with law enforcement or emergency responders; provisions
• HB 653 — Georgia Pharmacy Practice Act; pharmacy care; revise definition
• HB 676 — Georgia Farmers' Market and Produce Terminal Development Authority Act; enact
• HB 714 — Georgia Civil Practice Act; revise and provide for new requirements
• HR 11 — House Study Committee on Innovative Ways to Maximize Global Talent; create
• HR 130 — Board of Community Affairs; approving transfer of Forsyth County from Georgia Mountains Regional Commission to Atlanta Regional Commission; ratify action
• HR 142 — Property; conveyance of certain state owned property; authorize
• HR 143 — Property; granting of non-exclusive easements; authorize
• HR 144 — Katie Poff Memorial Interchange; Baldwin County; dedicate
• HR 222 — House Study Committee on Annexation; create
• HR 248 — Savannah Logistics Technology Innovation Corridor; designate
• SB 6 — "Tax Credit Return on Investment Act of 2021"; enact
• SB 20 — Child Advocate Advisory Committee; composition; revise
• SB 27 — Professional Licenses; extend the time a member of the military has to qualify for the issuance of a license; electrical contractor, plumber
• SB 42 — Education; school climate rating does not include discipline data; provide
• SB 46 — Health; certain medical personnel to administer vaccines during public health emergencies under certain conditions; authorize
• SB 59 — Education; additional QBE funding for each full-time equivalent student within a local charter school; provide
• SB 78 — Invasion of Privacy; prohibition on electronically transmitting or posting nude or sexually explicit photographs or videos for purposes of harassing the depicted person; revise
• SB 81 — Office of College and Career Transitions; change name to the Office of College and Career Academies
• SB 85 — "Max Gruver Act"; enact
• SB 100 — State Government; this state shall observe standard time year round; provide
• SB 107 — Postsecondary Education Grants; waiver of tuition and all fees, for qualifying foster and adopted students by units of the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia; provide
• SB 117 — Department of Human Services; offenses of improper sexual contact by employee or agent in the first and second degrees; revise
• SB 144 — Housing Authorities; ability of city housing authorities to operate outside municipal boundaries without authorization; limit
• SB 156 — Labor and Industrial Relations; appointment, oath, bond, power, duties, and authority of a chief labor officer; provide
• SB 165 — Motor Vehicles; autonomous vehicles from certain vehicle equipment requirements; exempt
• SB 174 — Bonds and Recognizances; appointed judges who are fulfilling a vacancy of an elected judge to issue an unsecured judicial release under certain circumstances; authorize
• SB 195 — Hemp Farming; definition; revise
• SB 201 — Revenue and Taxation; financial institutions to provide certain information related to delinquent taxpayers to the Department of Revenue under certain conditions; require
• SB 204 — Education; State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia to award high school diplomas; provide
• SB 215 — Regulation of Hospitals; certified medication aides to administer certain medications to nursing home residents; authorize
• SB 222 — State Symbols; pecan as the official state nut; designate
• SB 225 — License Plates; individuals who served in the armed forces for an ally of the United States during active military combat; provide a veteran's license plate
• SB 235 — Offenses Against Public Order; offense of wearing a mask, hood, or device which conceals the identity of the wearer; revise
• SB 237 — License Plates; specialty license plate supporting members of the United States Army Rangers; establish
• SB 246 — "The Learning Pod Protection Act"; exemptions applicable to learning pods, student attendance, administrative and judicial proceedings; provide
• SB 255 — "OneGeorgia Authority Act"; grant program to support border region retail and tourism projects; provide
• SB 260 — Soil Amendments; exclude from regulation
• SB 292 — City of Decatur; independent school district ad valorem taxes for educational purposes; provide homestead exemption
• SB 305 —Early County; school district ad valorem taxes; educational purposes; provide homestead exemption
• SR 39 — Charlotte Nash Intersection; Gwinnett County; dedicate
• SR 84 — Airport Infrastructure and Improvements; create Joint Study Committee
• SR 102 — Georgia Commission on E-Commerce and Freight Infrastructure Funding; create
• SR 300 — Senate University Fees Study Committee; create

The following legislation saw action on Legislative Day 40 but did not achieve final approval. These measures remain alive for the 2022 Legislative Session (most recent action noted for each):

• HB 68 — Professions and businesses; certain military certifications; extend time to qualify — HOUSE DISAGREED WITH SENATE SUBSTITUTE
• HB 290 — Hospitals and nursing homes; policy during a declared public health emergency that limits patients' abilities to be visited by designated family members and friends; provisions — SENATE TABLED
• HB 303 — Jaida Act; enact — SENATE PASSED BY SUBSTITUTE, NO FURTHER HOUSE ACTION
• HB 334 — Superior courts; clerks; notaries public; provisions — SENATE TABLED
• HB 409 — Judicial Legal Defense Fund Commission; establish — CONFERENCE COMMITTEE APPOINTED, NO REPORT BEFORE ADJOURNMENT
• HB 449 — Georgia Utility Facility Protection Act; revise — SENATE INSISTED ON ITS POSITION
• HB 477 — Income tax; applications for credit for qualified donations of real property; extend sunset date — HOUSE AMENDED SENATE SUBSTITUTE
• HB 517 — Education; calculation of minimum revenue obligations for scholarships and tuition grants; provide for the inclusion of earned interest — SENATE PASSED BY SUBSTITUTE, NO FURTHER HOUSE ACTION
• HB 605 — Health; provide for authorized electronic monitoring in long-term care facilities — HOUSE DISAGREED WITH SENATE SUBSTITUTE
• HR 52 — Joint Study Committee on Childhood Lead Exposure; create — NO SENATE ACTION
• SB 115 — Drivers' Licenses; instructional course; educating drivers and the public on best practices to implement when interacting with law enforcement officers; provide — SENATE FAILED TO AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE
• SB 120 — Solicitors-General of State Courts; honorary office of solicitor-general emeritus; provide — HOUSE PASSED BY SUBSTITUTE, NO FURTHER SENATE ACTION
• SB 164 — HIV Tests; modernization of HIV related laws to align with science; provide — SENATE DISAGREED TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE
• SB 218 — Vacation of Office; suspension of compensation for certain public officers who are suspended because of indictment for a felony; provide — SENATE DISAGREED TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE
• SB 220 — "The Georgia Civics Renewal Act"; enact — SENATE AMENDED HOUSE SUBSTITUTE; NO FURTHER HOUSE ACTION
• SB 256 — County Boards of Health; comprehensive reorganization; provide — HOUSE FAILED