March 28, 2019 Update – The original voucher expansion bill, SB 173, failed on the Senate floor before Crossover Day. This week, as session winds down, the language was added as an amendment to HB 68 (LC 46 0162S), which had
The Senate Higher Education committee passed HB 218 and HB 444. HB 218 would extend the time that students have to earn HOPE after high school to ten years from the current seven. This bill would not affect HOPE award
In House Bill 31, the state of Georgia continues a pattern of shortchanging pupil transportation that triggers safety concerns and significant costs for local school districts.[1] In FY 2019 the state allotted $131 million for pupil transportation through the Quality
Access to Quality Health Care Hearing for SB 106 – ‘Patients First Act’ Though our Georgia legislators are confident the federal administration will support a partial Medicaid waiver, the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute still believes a better waiver design will
Updated on May 8, 2019: Though House Bill 444 did not pass during the 2019 legislative session, the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) used its regulatory authority to change Dual Enrollment payment rates to colleges. GSFC eliminated awards for books
The Georgia General Assembly approved 16 major tax bills between January and “Crossover Day,” the deadline for legislation to clear at least one chamber to be eligible for final passage this legislative session. Georgia’s constitution requires any measures raising revenue
This week lawmakers hit a legislative session milestone. Thursday, March 7 marked Crossover Day, the day a bill originating in one chamber must pass to the other to have a chance at becoming law during the remainder of the legislative
Georgia Work Credit Grows the Middle Class by Danny Kanso, Policy Analyst Georgia leaders have the opportunity to take advantage of a proven policy that allows millions of working families to keep more of what they earn. A state Earned
The following is a summary of a presentation on College Affordability delivered by GBPI Higher Education Analyst Jennifer Lee. Increasing college completion among low-income students is a necessity for Georgia and a higher education goal for GBPI. Financial challenges create
The Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture is now soliciting public comment on a proposed rule to eliminate current state flexibility administering waivers for able-bodied adults without dependents and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program eligibility. The
The budget primer outlines the state budget for the year, recognizes substantial changes from the preceding year and provides a clear-eyed view on what lawmakers have prioritized for our state. This year, there will also be a focus on budget trends over the full eight years of Gov. Kemp’s tenure as we prepare for Georgia’s next leaders to take office.
Our budget primer is slated to be published the first day of the fiscal year, July 1. Join us for our virtual town hall to discuss our data, or request a physical copy of the primer to be sent to your address.
Submit public comment on Georgia’s Pathways to Coverage program extension by February 20th – just complete this easily fillable form:
