In the House, members disagreed to Senate changes to House Bill 86.

The bill was written to increase pay for some judges, but a Senate amendment made yesterday added significant pay increases for Gov. Brian Kemp and other state leaders.

"I think that is a discussion we as a body need to have at some point, but we shouldn't have it as an amendment to a bill in the last two or three days of session," Rep. Rob Leverett (R-Elberton) said. 

The House also passed a bill increasing penalties for fentanyl trafficking and gave final approval to protections for in vitro fertilization.

The Senate presented its version of the HB 68, the fiscal year 2026 budget, stressing that money is going to be tighter as COVID-era federal funds sent to the state are disappearing.

"The Senate's budget realigns some of the funding you may have seen in the House, and it's a recognition of what we're looking at the national level," Sen. Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia) said. "As you know, the federal government is in a position now to realign its budget, get its fiscal house in order for the first time in decades. We support that initiative, but it might mean some changes on the state level."

The state prison system had big increases in the budget for pay raises to hire more correctional officers and to acquire new technology to counter prison contraband.

In education, the Senate fully funded private school vouchers at $140 million but cut $28 million from the House plan to fund disadvantaged students.

The bill was passed 48 to 7 and now goes back to the House.

Monday begins the last week of the legislative session under the Gold Dome.

Watch Lawmakers tonight to see Sen. Randy Robertson (R-Cataula), Sen. Jason Esteves (D-Atlanta), Rep. Carter Barrett (R-Cumming), and Rep. Houston Gaines (R-Athens) discuss the latest on the legislative session.

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