Georgia

Georgia

Budget Cycle
Annual
  
Governor Submits Budget 
January (2nd week)

Fiscal Year Begins
July 1

Governor Signs Budget
May

Budget Links

FY2024 (proposed)
FY2023 (enacted)
FY2022 (enacted)
FY2021 (enacted)
FY2020 (enacted)
FY2019 (enacted)

Proposed Budget - Fiscal Year 2024

On January 13, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp released a $61.1 billion all funds budget proposal for fiscal 2024, a decrease of 0.8 percent from the amended fiscal 2023 budget. From state funds the budget proposes spending $32.4 billion in fiscal 2024, a decrease of 0.4 percent from amended fiscal 2023 while general funds total $27.8 billion, a decrease of 1.1 percent from amended fiscal 2023. State general fund receipts are projected at $30.8 billion in fiscal 2024, an increase of 0.5 percent over amended fiscal 2023, while total state treasury receipts are estimated at $32.4 billion, a 0.7 percent increase. The Revenue Shortfall Reserve was $5.2 billion at the end of fiscal 2022, maintaining a “filled” status for the second consecutive year; current law provides that the reserve cannot exceed 15 percent of the previous fiscal year’s net revenue. Across state funds appropriated in the budget, the largest categories of spending are dedicated to Educated Georgia (53.2 percent), Healthy Georgia (23.6 percent), Safe Georgia (7.2 percent), and Mobile Georgia (7.0 percent).


Proposed Budget Highlights 

The governor’s proposed budget for fiscal 2024 ensures that the state continues to meet its financial obligations while also investing in the education, health, and safety of its citizens to maintain Georgia’s position as the best state in the country to live, work, and raise families.


Educated Georgia
  • Early care:
    • $20.6 million to increase salaries for certified teachers and assistant teachers by $2,000.
    • $14.0 million to fund an increase in the Pre-K operations grant to allow programs to reallocate existing funds to lead teacher salaries.
  • K-12 schools:
    • $303.2 million to increase salaries for certified personnel by $2,000.
    •  $127.2 million for enrollment growth and training and experience.
    • $846.1 million to fund the state share of employer increases on educators who participate in the state health benefit plan.
    • $26.9 million to fully fund the school counselor ratio for all categories of students.
    • $226.99 million in bonds for construction and renovation projects for local school systems plus $22.8 million in bonds to replace 259 school buses.
  • Higher Education:
    • $87.4 million for a $2,000 cost of living adjustment for University System of Georgia full-time employees.
    • $61.2 million to fully fund HOPE scholarships and grant awards, saving full-time students an average of $444 annually.

Healthy Georgia
  • $13.1 million for three additional behavioral health crisis centers and $6.3 million for additional mobile crisis teams to address increasing demand statewide.
  • $14.4 million to annualize 513 slots and add 250 slots in waiver programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
  • $52.2 million to implement the Georgia Pathways to Coverage program established by law and increase health insurance access statewide.
  • $312.2 for Medicaid and PeachCare including $79.0 million in utilization growth and $227.0 million to offset a reduction in the FMAP and eFMAP rates.
  • $3.2 million for 300 additional Medicaid eligibility caseworkers to process redetermination cases upon expiration of the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
  • $2.3 million for the creation and administration of loan repayment programs for mental health professionals, medical examiners, and nurse faculty.
  • $3.4 million to assist in the rehabilitation of children, youth, and adult victims of sexual trafficking.

Safe Georgia
  • $25.7 million to reflect the opening of one new state prison.
  • $26.0 million in bond funds for emergency maintenance and repairs in the Department of Corrections.
  • $2.1 million for equipment associated with a new statewide public safety radio network to achieve interoperability statewide.
  • $3.2 million to establish a loan repayment program to recruit and retain public law enforcement officers across the state, providing up to 800 officers with a loan repayment of up to $20,000 per officer in exchange for five years of service.

Growing Georgia
  • $14.5 million in bond funding for federal State Revolving Fund match for Clean Water and Drinking Water Loan programs.
  • $8.98 million in bond funds for design and construction of three watershed dams.
  • $3.8 million in trust fund reserves to renovate department fish hatcheries and construction wildlife management area maintenance shops.

Statewide Changes
  • $243.0 million to provide state law enforcement and other state employees with a cost-of-living pay increase of $2,000.
  • $92.0 million for the state reinsurance program to reduce insurance premiums statewide.