Midyear state budget gets final approval

The House and Senate gave final approval Monday to an $18 billion midyear budget that provides an extra $83 million in school funding to pay for enrollment growth.

The chambers agreed on a spending plan that runs through June 30 after adding $13 million to help fund the Morehouse School of Medicine, which made a last-minute plea to lawmakers for extra money. In total, Morehouse and the Mercer School of Medicine, another private medical school, will both get about $21 million in state funding this year.

The midyear plan, which now goes to Gov. Nathan Deal for his approval, also includes $1.725 million more for temporary workers at the Department of Revenue to get the agency through tax season and an additional $8 million for improvements to rural airports.