Legislative Session
Day 12
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Report Snapshot
Budget Disagreement Under Gold Dome – Calendar Reset
Education Appropriations Committee Examines Gov. Kemp’s Proposed FY 2021 Budget
Vaping Bill Clears Senate Subcommittee
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Upcoming Schedule
Tuesday, Feb. 18 – Legislative Day 13 (PAGE Day on the Hill)
Wednesday, Feb. 19 - Legislative
Day 14
Thursday, Feb. 20 - Legislative Day 15
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Budget Disagreement Under Gold Dome – Calendar Reset
Emerging disagreements over the state’s budget between legislative leaders and Gov. Brian Kemp have led to a revised legislative calendar.
The House and Senate altered previous plans to convene for Legislative Day 13 tomorrow and have instead approved the following schedule:
- Tuesday, Feb. 18 - Legislative Day 13/PAGE Day on the Hill
- Wednesday, Feb. 19 - Legislative Day 14
- Thursday, Feb. 20 - Legislative Day 15
- Friday, Feb. 21 - Legislative Day 16
- Monday, Feb. 24 - Legislative Day 17
- Tuesday, Feb. 25 - Legislative Day 18
- Wednesday, Feb. 26 - Legislative Day 19
- Thursday, Feb. 27 - Legislative Day 20
- Friday, Feb. 28 - Legislative Day 21
- Monday, March 2 - Legislative Day 22
- Tuesday, March 3 - Legislative Day 23
- Wednesday, March 4 - Legislative Day 24
- Thursday, March 5 - Legislative Day 25
- Monday, March 9 - Legislative Day 26
- Tuesday, March 10 - Legislative Day 27
- Wednesday, March 11 - Committee Work Day
- Thursday, March 12 - Legislative Day 28/Crossover
House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) asked House members to suspend all non-budget committee meetings over the next week and a half.
According to the AJC
, Ralston sent his House colleagues a letter which reads, “Our goal remains to arrive at a conservative, balanced budget that invests wisely and moves our state forward."
Shortly thereafter, Gov. Kemp’s spokesperson released a strong statement in response:
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Major points of dissension between the House and the governor's office appear to be Kemp’s proposed $2,000 teacher pay raise, lower-than-expected state revenues, a possible state income tax cut, and painful cuts to state agencies (Georgia’s school funding formula has been protected from the cuts, thus far).
-Margaret Ciccarelli
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Education Appropriations Committee Examines Gov. Kemp’s Proposed FY 2021 Budget
The House Education Appropriations Subcommittee took a close look at Gov. Brian Kemp’s proposed budget for
Fiscal Year 2021
(FY 2021), which contains valuable funding increases as well as cuts in multiple programs within the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE). As
PAGE reported previously
, the FY 2021 budget includes a $2,000 pay raise for certified educators, including school counselors, and a five percent raise for bus drivers and school nutrition staff. The proposed spending plan would fully fund the Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula for the third consecutive year. State commission charter schools would see an increase of $50 million, and the Special Needs Scholarship, a private school voucher for special education students, would receive an additional $10 million.
The budget would also cut other GaDOE programs if approved by the General Assembly. Proposed cuts include:
- Curriculum Development
- Georgia Virtual School
- Grants for Career, Technical & Agricultural Education and Technology
- Information Technology
- Regional Education Service Agencies
- Testing
The school improvement program, which supports struggling schools, would incorporate the Chief Turnaround Office (CTO). Though funds for the CTO would be transferred to School Improvement, the funds combined from both programs would be lower than in the Fiscal Year 2020 budget (FY 2020).
The cuts are spurred by a decline in state revenues, which is driven in large part by a
tax cut
the General Assembly passed in 2018. In response to the revenue loss, Kemp directed state agencies to cut four percent from their amended 2020 budgets and an additional 6 percent from their 2021 spending plans. Because the QBE formula as well as several other programs within the education department are exempt from the cuts, the department’s operating budget is cut by 6.5 percent.
Committee members expressed concern about the impact of the cuts with a particular focus on school improvement, curriculum and state schools, noting they do not want to undermine essential services and positions.
Legislators will consider a second tax cut this session, which, if passed, will reduce state revenue by approximately $550 million. Kemp’s proposed FY 2021 budget does not include the tax cut.
On behalf of PAGE's members, Margaret Ciccarelli, director of legislative services, and Claire Suggs, senior education policy analyst, expressed appreciation to the committee and the General Assembly for the $3,000 pay raise approved in the 2019 session as well as fully funding the QBE formula. They also encouraged legislators to approve the proposed $2,000 pay raise, noting its importance as a critical strategy to attract and keep more great teachers in the classroom.
-Claire Suggs
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Vaping Bill Clears Senate Subcommittee
SB 298
, which would prohibit the sale to and use of vaping and smoking products to minors, was approved by the Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 4. If approved by the General Assembly, the bill will create new licensing requirements for sellers of vaping and cigarette products. They include penalties for those who sell these products to minors, who are defined as being under 21. SB 298 would also establish penalties for minors who use vaping products, which mirror the penalties in place for minors who use alcohol products.
The bill would also require the State Board of Education (SBOE) to create standards for the instruction on smoking and vaping to include with existing standards on use of drugs and alcohol. In addition, SB 298 requires the state board and local boards of education to supplement the instruction materials and resources that student clubs, organizations, and peer-to-peer groups can use.
SB 298 now moves to the Senate Rules Committee, which will determine when it will be voted on by the full Senate.
-Claire Suggs
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PAGE Day on Capitol Hill is Tuesday, Feb. 18.
We’re pleased to partner with the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL) and the Georgia Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (GACTE) again this year. Attendees will meet other politically minded educators from across the state and advocate for teachers and students under the Gold Dome. Please make your plans to attend and register
HERE
.
Gov. Brian Kemp has indicated he plans to attend and deliver remarks during the luncheon session.
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Claire Suggs
Senior Education Policy Analyst
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Josh Stephens
Legislative Affairs Specialist
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Margaret Ciccarelli
Director of Legislative Services
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