Georgia House advances budget with pay raises for teachers and state workers

ATLANTA (AP) — The Georgia House is backing a state budget that would include pay raises for public school teachers and state employees, as well as boost spending on education, health care and mental health.

The House voted 172-1 for House Bill 916 on Thursday. It would spend $36.1 billion in state money and $66.5 billion overall in the budget year beginning July 1. The measure goes to the Senate for more debate.

“This is an awesome budget that addresses the needs of Georgians from every walk of life, from every part of Georgia,” said House Speaker Jon Burns, a Newington Republican. “Thank you to everyone who voted affirmatively on this bill. It’s good to see us all work together and find some things we can agree on that benefit the people we care so much about.”

Spending would fall from this year’s budget after Gov. Brian Kemp and lawmakers supplemented that budget will billions in one-time cash, boosting state spending to $38 billion in the year ending June 30.

Public school teachers would get a $2,500 raise starting July 1, boosting average teacher pay in Georgia above $65,000 annually, as the Republican governor proposed in January. That’s in addition to a $1,000 bonus Kemp sent out in December. Prekindergarten teachers would also get a $2,500 raise.

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