Senate panel endorses midyear budget
A key Senate committee backed a $19.3 billion midyear spending plan Tuesday that would restore more than $2.7 million Gov. Nathan Deal has proposed cutting from Georgia Gwinnett College’s funding.
The full Senate will vote this week on the budget, which would trim $26 million overall but put more money into k-12 schools.
A slightly different version of the midyear spending plan — which runs through June 30 — has already been approved by the House. Once it passes the full Senate, legislative leaders will negotiate a final settlement.
The Senate’s midyear budget would send local school districts an extra $167.6 million, mostly to fund enrollment growth. It also would fill a hole of more than $200 million in the state’s health care program for the poor, elderly and disabled.
It would cut $73 million in basic funding for the University System of Georgia and nearly $40 million budgeted for economic development programs. Most agencies would take midyear cuts because state leaders aren’t sure tax collections will meet expectations if the economy slows during the first half of 2013.
— James Salzer
Bill would give more shot at HOPE Grant
As expected, a bipartisan group of lawmakers filed a bill that would allow more technical college students to qualify for the HOPE Grant.
House Bill 372 would make students eligible for the award if they maintain a 2.0 grade-point average. That’s down from the current 3.0 mandate and a return to the rule that existed before lawmakers overhauled the HOPE program in 2011 to prevent it from going broke.
Gov. Nathan Deal backed the change earlier this month in response to criticism that too many were dropping out of the Technical College System of Georgia or avoiding enrolling because of higher standards.
Nearly 9,000 students lost the grant last year because they couldn’t meet the GPA requirement.
The bill was filed by Rep. Christian Coomer, R-Cartersville, one of Deal’s floor leaders. Other sponsors include Rep. Stacey Evans, D-Smyrna.
— Laura Diamond
