'Lawmakers' Day 30: House passes FY 26 budget, Senate updates DNR fishing and hunting regulations

It was a late start for the House on Tuesday, but by early afternoon the body had fulfilled its most important duty.

The House took up the only bill constitutionally required to pass each session: the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget is smaller than the amended budget for the current fiscal year, because it does not include as many One-Time Surplus Investments.

"Things are tight," House Appropriations Chairman Rep. Matt Hatchett (R-Dublin) said. "Many of you have asked for funding for your communities or asked us to support programs and initiatives within state agencies. I wish we could address them all or go further than we did, but we can't. The needs are great and there are many worthy causes competing for the same limited resources."

The budget, or House Bill 68, applies to the fiscal year that starts in July and includes $250 million more funding for the state's prison system from last year.

"Much of the funding in the corrections FY 26 budget is an annualization of the needs we recognized in the amended budget, including funding to hire more than 700 correctional officers to lower staffing ratios and improve bed capacity so that the department can implement life safety and security projects," Hatchett added. "This budget also recognizes that salary enhancements are working to attract and retain staff in the prison system, and it includes additional salary increases to keep our foot on the gas."

The budget adds more money to the governor's recommendation for education.

"This is also very much an education budget," he continued. "The House version of HB 68 includes an additional half a billion in education spending for the FY 2025 original budget. Y'all let that wash over you for a minute. Half a billion more in education."

The budget also includes a new program to address student mental health. The addition comes after a deadly shooting at Apalachee High School last fall.

"It's become abundantly clear that school safety and student mental health go hand in hand," Hatchett said. "That's why I'm excited to announce a new program created in the House budget in the Department of Education called Student Support Services. This $62 million program is an umbrella of services, if you will, that's designed to cover the needs of the whole child. It's a collection of ideas and longtime requests — many of you are likely familiar with — that support our students in ways that the QBE formula can't.

"This new program provides $20 million in mental health grant funding for middle schools and high schools."

The budget passed 171 to 4 and was immediately transmitted to the Senate.

Also, the House celebrated an important milestone for one member. 

"Today is the day that the Lord has made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it because I'm getting ready to ring the bell," Rep. Patty Stinson (D-Butler) said of her chemotherapy treatment for cancer. "Ring the bell, ring the bell. My last radiation day, my last radiation. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! And I could not have done it without all of you. Thank you so very much, Mr. Speaker. All of you. I love you from the depth of my heart. Thank you!"

The House also recognized the Shepherd Center's 50th anniversary. The Shepherd center treats brain and spinal cord injuries.

The cause is personal to House members, as Speaker of the House Chief of Staff Terri England is recovering from a spinal cord injury with the help of the Shepherd Center.

The sun was shining bright as Georgia State University students and lawmakers joined forces at Liberty Plaza today to promote community solar legislation.

Senate Bill 203, The Georgia Homegrown Solar Act, would allow community solar systems to help lower costs and provide clean energy for all Georgians.

The Senate started its session with a resolution recognizing today as Georgia Lineman Day at the Capitol.

As the state continues to recover from damage done by Hurricane Helene, the men who string and repair power lines received the special recognition.

"These guys and ladies really are the backbone of our energy infrastructure," said President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy. "They brave the storms, the flooding, dangerous temperature, long nights to ensure that our homes are lit, that we're kept safe and warm in those most darkest of hours."

They also remembered slain Roswell police officer Jeremy Labonte, who was killed last month while responding to a suspicious person call at a shopping center.

An interchange at State Route 400 and Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell was named after Labonte in memoriam, and his family was presented with a flag today that was flown over the Capitol.

"For everyone who has ever served as a first responder or in the military, please join me in saluting this family," Sen. John Albers (R-Roswell) said. "God bless you. Thank you."

The Senate then got down to business, quickly passing two House resolutions and a bill, HB 287, which dealt with updating DNR fishing and hunting license regulations. 

"Any person that's paralyzed in the state of Georgia does not have to buy a hunting or fishing license," Sen. Lee Anderson (R-Grovetown) said, adding that free licensing also extends to wheelchair users from out of state.

House Resolutions 97 and 98 regulate the sale and leasing of state property and non-exclusive easement in dozens of counties throughout the state.

All the legislation was passed unanimously.

The Senate then stood in recess until the House sent over the budget, assigned it to the Appropriations Committee and gaveled out for the day.

No floor activities are planned for Wednesday, as committee work will be the top priority. Both chambers will be back in session on Thursday.