UNDER THE GOLD DOME

WEEK 4

Amended FY 2023 Budget

Each session, the Georgia General Assembly is constitutionally required to pass a balanced state budget, and on Thursday, we passed House Bill 18, or the Amended Fiscal Year (AFY) 2023 budget. Due to revenue collections being higher than expected, the AFY 2023 budget recognizes approximately $2.36 billion in additional revenue, or 7.8 percent more than the initial FY 2023 budget, and brings the total appropriation for the AFY 2023 budget to $32.56 billion. Below are some highlights from the AFY2023 budget. You can find the full AFY2023 budget here.

• $1 billion in property tax relief grants for Georgia taxpayers
• $23 million in school security grants to make our schools safer
• $5 million in funds for technology, safety, and security projects at state prison facilities to make our prison facilities more secure, keeping Corrections staff safe as they protect us
• $4.9 million for one-time election equipment replacement and upgrades
• $4 million for Georgia Crime Victim Emergency Fund
• $3.5 million for GBI to maintain Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC)
• $3.3 million in DOE to heavy equipment construction industry programs to train young Georgians to enter this booming industry
• $2.4 million to upgrade security at 48 domestic violence shelters statewide, and an additional $2 million in one-time funds to offset federal funds decline; these funds will protect women and children in Georgia who have escaped domestic violence
• $1.6 million to ensure parity for all state employees in the implementation of the $5,000 COLA
• $35.7 million to establish the Rural Workforce Housing Fund

Special Guest

During Legislative Day 11, my House colleagues and I  took time to recognize the 49th anniversary of the Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta. Our relationship with Japan has produced nearly $8 billion in imports and exports, and nearly 600 Japanese-affiliated companies employ more than 40,000 Georgians in our state. Consul General Mio Maeda joined us in the House Chamber to celebrate this strategic partnership between our governments.

House Page Program

In other news, the House Page Program resumed at the State Capitol this week following a three-year hiatus due to the public health emergency. For more than 50 years, the Page Program has provided an exclusive opportunity for Georgia’s students between 12 and 18 years old to visit our Capitol and serve in the House Chamber. The experience of a legislative page has also sparked many political aspirations and has been a connective link between elected leaders and young students. This program is highly competitive, and I encourage students from House District 147 who may be interested to apply as soon as possible. Parents and students can learn more about the application process here by clicking the button below.

As we move through the legislative session, I encourage you to reach out to me with your thoughts and opinions about legislation, including the state budget. Your feedback is crucial to developing good, sound policies for our state, and I look forward to discussing my legislative goals for this session with you. I can be reached at bethany.ballard@house.ga.gov.

We are excited that the Page Program is back! If your child (ages 12 - 18) would like to be a House Page, please click the link below. Each House member is only allotted 5 pages per session, so please make sure to apply early.

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your state representative for the 2023-2024 legislative term.