The updated fiscal 2024 budget, which covers state expenditures through June 30 and includes $37.5 billion in public funds, was approved by the Georgia Senate.
House Bill 915 was approved 161-2 by the Senate after receiving a 54-1 vote in the state House. To resolve the disagreements, it will now go to the Joint House and Senate Appropriations Conference Committee, which will convene for the first time on Monday morning.
Compared to the more than $32.4 billion lawmakers passed last year as part of the initial fiscal 2024 budget, it marks an approximately $5 billion increase. The “total public funds” allotted in the expenditure proposal soar to more than $61.8 billion when combined with about $18.5 billion in federal tax revenue.
Lt. Governor Burt Jones, a Republican, stated in a statement that “the AFY24 Budget makes necessary investments in our education system, economic development projects, transportation infrastructure, public safety, and agriculture industry.” “These investments are a part of our ongoing efforts to prioritize education and keep our business environment thriving in Georgia.”
The Department of Transportation would receive approximately $5.6 billion in the updated budget, up from roughly $4 billion in the previous proposal made by Republican Governor Brian Kemp earlier this year. The transportation department will get over $3.8 billion in state funding as well as almost $1.6 billion in federal tax revenue as part of the spending plan.
An assessment of the financing plan shows that the Senate Committee on Appropriations included $250 million for regional economic business assistance grants, $250 million for local water and wastewater infrastructure projects, and $250 million for local transportation projects. The state House increased tax revenue for airport help by $27 million, and the Senate raised that sum even further.
Lawmakers also need to approve a budget for fiscal 2025 in addition to completing the revised budget for fiscal 2024.