UNDER THE GOLD DOME

WEEK 9

Heading into the Final Three Weeks

After a fast-paced and eventful Crossover Day last week, members of the Georgia House of Representatives returned to the State Capitol on Monday, March 10^th for Legislative Day 29, kicking off our ninth week of session. With Crossover Day behind us, the House began to review and vote on legislation that passed over from our Senate counterparts this week. Additionally, my colleagues and I successfully passed the House’s version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget, House Bill 68. This critical piece of legislation would outline and allocate the necessary funding for the state’s operations and services in the upcoming fiscal year, beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026. The House passage of HB 68 serves as a significant milestone in the legislative process, fulfilling our constitutional obligation to pass a balanced budget. It also lays the foundation for the priorities that will guide Georgia’s growth and development for the next year, with significant investments in education and public safety.

AFY 2026 BUDGET

Additionally, my colleagues and I successfully passed the House’s version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget, House Bill 68. This critical piece of legislation would outline and allocate the necessary funding for the state’s operations and services in the upcoming fiscal year, beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026. The House passage of HB 68 serves as a significant milestone in the legislative process, fulfilling our constitutional obligation to pass a balanced budget. It also lays the foundation for the priorities that will guide Georgia’s growth and development for the next year, with significant investments in education and public safety.

EDUCATION UPDATE

With a revenue estimate of $37.7 billion—marking an increase of $1.6 billion or 4.4 percent over the original FY 2025 budget—the House’s version of HB 68 places a strong emphasis on addressing the critical needs of Georgia’s education system to ensure that Georgia students can thrive. As such, a large portion of HB 68 would support a statewide literacy initiative aimed at improving reading outcomes for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, recognizing that reading proficiency by the end of third grade is central to future academic success and beyond. Therefore, the House’s version of the FY 2026 budget appropriates $22.7 million—$10 million of which includes new funding—to support the recommendations of the Georgia Council on Literacy. HB 68 appropriates $18.5 million for 116 Regional Education Service Agencies (RESA)-based literacy coaches, providing individualized teacher support to ensure that structured literacy and the science of reading would be implemented effectively. Additionally, HB 68 allots $2 million for a free universal reading screener that would be available to all school systems as a result of the efforts outlined in House Bill 538, the Georgia Early Literacy Act, which Governor Brian Kemp signed into law in 2023. The House’s version of the FY 2026 budget also includes funding for a state-level coaching coordinator position that would support competency-based research and training for literacy coaches and educators.

The House’s FY 2026 budget further supports students and educators across Georgia by recommending a total of $6.3 million in state funds to continue to provide breakfast and lunch for reduced-paying students, which would certify that every child has access to nutritious meals while they are at school. Additionally, the Non-Quality Basic Education program would receive $5.9 million for sparsity grants, which would benefit 131 qualified schools based on updated survey data. These grants are designed for schools with smaller student populations that would not generate enough funds through QBE to meet staffing and operational needs. The Non-Quality Basic Education program would also receive $150,000 in new funding for feminine hygiene products, bringing the total appropriation to $1.65 million. These grants would be specifically targeted to low property tax wealth districts with high concentrations of economically disadvantaged students. Moreover, HB 68 includes $7.5 million for the School Supplies for Educators program, as outlined in Senate Bill 464, which passed during the 2024 legislative session. These funds would provide educators with $100 each to purchase essential school supplies, recognizing that many school teachers often pay out-of-pocket for classroom supplies.

SPONSORED LEGISLATION

I am proud to be sponsoring the following legislation. My colleagues and I are working tirelessly on other bills that will support our communities and will make Georgia a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

HOUSE BILL 81 -- ON THE WAY TO THE GOVERNOR This bill will allow Georgia to enter into the Interstate Compact for School Psychologists. This will cut red tape for school psychologists who move here from other member states. School psychologists are an integral part of our schools who assess our students who have dyslexia and special needs, and my hope is that this will help our schools hire more of them to support our students.

HOUSE BILL 107 -- PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE This bill will require our licensing boards to provide military spouses with a digital verifiable license which will make it easier for them to prove they have a valid occupational license when they move from state to state. I'm working with the Secretary of State's office on this issue before this bill goes into Rules.

HOUSE BILL 174 -- PASSED OUT OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE This bill was brought to me as a unanimous resolution by the Centerville City Council as a piece of local legislation. It will authorize the Municipal Court of Centerville to charge a technology fee.

HOUSE BILL 307 -- PASSED OUT OF HOUSE This bill will strengthen SB 48 and HB 538, dyslexia and literacy legislation from previous sessions, and ban curriculum that does not align with the Science of Reading. This should be heard in Senate Education and Youth Committee on Tuesday.

HOUSE BILL 361 / HOUSE BILL 266 -- PASSED OUT OF HOUSE The original HB 361 was merged with HB 266 and will exempt partial retirement benefits of our retired veterans from state income tax. HB 361 was signed by almost all the House members from our military communities, and is a bipartisan bill.

HOUSE BILL 372 -- This bill will allow retired teachers who have certificates in certain high needs areas to return to the classroom. It has been assigned to the Retirement Committee.

HOUSE BILL 487 -- This bill will mandate that computer science be a high school graduation requirement beginning in 2031.It has been assigned to the Education Committee.

You can click the button below to follow all the legislation as each bill makes its way through the House and Senate.

LINKS AND CONTACT INFORMATION

My House colleagues and I will return to the State Capitol on Tuesday, March 18^th to continue our important work advocating for your needs and interests. With fewer than 10 legislative days remaining, we are in the final stretch of this legislative session with our final day, or Sine Die, scheduled for April 4^th.  The next few weeks will be critical as we work to make decisions that will impact the future of our state. I encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns about the bills currently under consideration. Your input is always valued, so please feel free to schedule a call or visit to discuss the issues that matter most to you and your family.

If your child would like to be a House Page, please click the link below to contact my office. The Page program is open to children ages 12 through 18, and it is a very worthwhile and educational experience. Paging does not count toward school absences, and your child will be counted as "present" at school.