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AJC.com > Legislature > Blog > Archives > 2007 > March > 19 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHouse to vote on mid-year budget today
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A mid-year budget that bails out both the PeachCare health insurance program for children and the indigent defense system won approval from the House Appropriations Committee this morning.
The $19.4 billion mid-year spending plan, which runs through June 30, is expected to win approval of the full House Tuesday.
It contains $73 million to fill a shortfall in PeachCare, which provides health insurance to about 300,000 children of working poor families. It also includes an extra $8 million for the program because of a sudden increase in the number of children on PeachCare. That run-up occurred when the Department of Community Health said it was shutting off new enrollment earlier this month because of the funding shortfall, said House Appropriations Chairman Ben Harbin (R-Evans).
Harbin said the state is hoping Congress will act in coming weeks to reimburse the state for the original $73 million shortfall. PeachCare is a joint state-federal program. Lawmakers delayed the end of the 2007 session in hopes Congress would act, but so far, that hasn’t happened.
“Hopefully, this is going to settled before we get out of here,” Harbin said.
The mid-year spending plan also includes almost $9.6 million to keep the state’s public defender system afloat. The shortfall had threatened to derail murder trials across the state.
While solving two major funding problems, the mid-year budget also provided money for pet projects for key lawmakers.
For instance, the spending plan adds an extra $300,000 Harbin supported for the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame in Augusta and $5 million in design money for a new Medical College of Georgia dental school facility in Augusta. Harbin represents suburbs of Augusta. The mid-year budget includes $19,000 for library equipment on St. Simons Island, home of House Majority Leader Jerry Keen (R-St. Simons Island), as well as $1 million to build a new driver’s license facility in nearby Brunswick.
The plan has $125,000 for the Historic Chattahoochee Commission, which promotes tourism and historic preservation along the Lower Chattahoochee River Valley. The money was requested by House Transportation Chairman Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain). Another $100,000 would go to Robins Air Force Base’s aviation museum, spending backed by House Ways & Means Chairman Larry O’Neal (R-Bonaire).
After passing the House, the measure will head to the Senate for its consideration.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Budget
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By JustMe
March 19, 2007 11:13 AM | Link to this
Where is the blog on liquor sales on Sundays? IMHO this is a major issue for our State.
GA will either decide to remain in the dark ages or join this decade.
And there is no blog to discuss?????