Kemp signs budget with money to fight human trafficking here
ATLANTA, Ga. - Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed the budget for fiscal year 2026 Friday morning, and it includes hundreds of thousands to fight human trafficking in the Augusta region.
Some other priorities include community mental health services, child care and development, maternal health services, and low-income home energy assistance.
The $37.7 billion budget also drastically decreases the number of available school vouchers and includes extra money to educate poor public school students.
During a news conference on the north wing steps of the state Capitol, the governor said the budget “represents our state’s priorities.”
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The budget “makes important investments to meet the needs of our growing state without growing government or adding to our long-term liabilities,” Kemp said.
“It represents an impact across so many different areas of our state - including investments in education, public safety, healthcare, infrastructure, and much more,” he said.
Here’s a by-the-numbers look at the budget:
- Over $300 million more for enrollment and expense growth for K-12 education.
- $49.7 million to promote students’ mental health and well-being.
- $13 million in new funding to improve literacy for elementary students.
- $267 million to fund higher education growth at the university and technical college systems.
- $20 million to replace 227 school buses.
- More than $141 million to fund the Promise Scholarship Program.
- $257 million more in for Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids expense and enrollment growth.
- $10 million for capital repairs at state hospitals.
- Over $5 million for salary enhancements for social services eligibility caseworkers.
- Over $4.5 million to improve maternal health.
- Over $1.7 million for additional positions and technology at crime labs across the state.
- Over $1 million for two crime scene technical leaders and three digital forensic investigators.
- $1 million for a gang case management system and gang enforcement efforts statewide.
- Over $268,000 for Attorney General Chris Carr to expand the gang prosecution unit in the Savannah region and over $748,000 to expand the human trafficking prosecution unit to the Macon and Augusta regions.
- Over $421,000 to improve operations of the 24/7 hotline to report human trafficking and serve victims.
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