Briefs Budget and Taxes Daniel Kanso, PhD Reports It’s Time to Modernize Georgia’s Tobacco User Fee and Add Commonsense Safeguards for a Healthier State December 15, 2025 / December 15, 2025 by Daniel Kanso, PhD Overview Georgia has the nation’s second lowest state cigarette user fee and lags most other states in adding common sense safeguards on the sale and use of tobacco products. With Georgia falling far short of recouping the costs of smoking through Medicaid alone, residents are effectively subsidizing the leading cause of preventable disease, death and […] Read more »
Briefs Health Justice Leah Chan Reports Pathways to Coverage: Looking Back Two Years and Into the Future October 13, 2025 / October 14, 2025 by Leah Chan In July 2023 Georgia launched the Pathways to Coverage program, which provides a new Medicaid option to uninsured, low-income adults who can report working, going to school, or engaging in other qualifying activities for at least 80 hours per month. The program covers many of the same medical services as traditional Medicaid, including doctor visits, […] Read more »
Briefs Health Justice Leah Chan Fast Facts: Funding for Georgia’s State and Local Public Health System September 16, 2025 / September 22, 2025 by Leah Chan Georgia’s health security and economic well-being depend on a modernized, fully funded state and local public health system. This brief provides policymakers and advocates with a brief overview of how Georgia funds public health. For more background on the importance of public health, please read this fact sheet. Less than $1 in every $10 state […] Read more »
Briefs Budget and Taxes Daniel Kanso, PhD Federal Policy The House-Passed Reconciliation Bill Would Significantly Increase National Debt, Primarily Benefitting Top Earners, While Cutting Health Care and Food Assistance June 9, 2025 / June 17, 2025 by Daniel Kanso, PhD *The following information reflects the legislation passed by the United States House of Representatives on May 22, 2025. Additional information will be provided as the bill progresses. On May 22, the U.S. House passed major tax and spending legislation, entitled the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” This measure was advanced through a special legislative process […] Read more »
Briefs Economic Justice Federal Policy Ife Finch Floyd The House Agriculture Committee Proposes Unprecedented Changes to the SNAP Program that Would Increase Food Insecurity May 22, 2025 / June 17, 2025 by Ife Finch Floyd The House is rushing the process to fundamentally change the structure of the SNAP program. They held no hearings before the House Agriculture Committee decided to make these dramatic changes. Therefore, some critical details are unknown because they are not addressed in the current legislation, nor have they been discussed by the committee. This analysis […] Read more »
Briefs Federal Policy Health Justice Leah Chan House-Passed Federal Budget Legislation Proposes Historical Medicaid Cuts With Serious Fiscal Impacts for Georgia May 21, 2025 / June 17, 2025 by Leah Chan *The following information reflects the legislation passed by the United States House of Representatives on May 22, 2025. Additional information will be provided as the bill progresses. Introduction and Summary Congress is currently negotiating a federal budget package. To pay for tax cuts for wealthy individuals and corporations, Congress is looking for ways to decrease […] Read more » budget reconciliation
Ashley Young Bill Analysis Briefs Budget and Taxes Education Higher Education Overview: 2026 Fiscal Year Budget for the Georgia Student Finance Commission February 18, 2025 / February 18, 2025 by Ashley Young Introduction The Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) is the state’s higher education finance agency with over 20 state and lottery funded scholarships, grants and loans. To ensure that students are prepared for post-secondary education, GSFC provides free financial aid counseling to K-12, post-secondary institutions and community organizations. Amended Fiscal Year 2025 Budget $6 million […] Read more » Budget Overview
Ashley Young Bill Analysis Briefs Budget and Taxes Education Higher Education Overview: 2026 Fiscal Year Budget for the University System of Georgia February 18, 2025 by Ashley Young Introduction Georgia’s four-year public higher education system, the University System of Georgia (USG), is composed of 26 higher education institutions located across the state.[1] USG also encompasses the Georgia Public Library Service, which manages 61 libraries; and the Georgia Archives, which collects and preserves records and information about Georgia. In Fall 2024, student enrollment […] Read more » Budget Overview
Ashley Young Bill Analysis Briefs Budget and Taxes Education K-12 Education Overview: 2026 Fiscal Year Budget for the Georgia Department of Education February 18, 2025 by Ashley Young Introduction The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) serves Georgia’s 180+ kindergarten -12th (K-12) grade public school districts. Led by State School Superintendent Richard Woods, GaDOE develops and governs the K-12 learning standards and currently serves 1.7 million students.[1] Governor Kemp’s Amended Fiscal Year (AFY) 2025 budget for the GaDOE totals $120.8 million, including a […] Read more »
Bill Analysis Briefs Budget and Taxes Economic Justice Ray Khalfani Worker Justice Overview: 2026 Fiscal Year Budget for the Georgia Department of Labor February 17, 2025 / February 17, 2025 by Ray Khalfani The Georgia Department of Labor (DOL) is an agency tasked with maintaining a resilient Unemployment Insurance (UI) system to protect workers who lose jobs at no fault of their own during their transition back into the workforce. This resilience provides economic stability during recessions. DOL is also tasked with generating revenue through contributions that it […] Read more »
