ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Georgia's public school teachers and state employees will soon get a raise as Gov. Brian Kemp is set to sign a new $66.8 billion state budget into law on Tuesday.
The much-touted budget, passed in an all-important 2024 presidential election year, also increases spending on education, health care and mental health.
The budget spends $36.1 billion in state funds and $66.8 billion overall for the year that begins July 1.
Public school teachers will get a $2,500 raise starting July 1, bringing the average teacher salary in Georgia to more than $65,000 a year, the Republican governor proposed in January. This is in addition to a $1,000 bonus Kemp sent out in December. Preschool teachers will also receive a $2,500 raise.
State and university employees will also receive a 4% raise up to a salary of $70,000. The typical state employee earns $50,400.
State law enforcement officers will receive an additional $3,000 raise, on top of the special $6,000 raise they received last year. Child welfare workers will receive additional raises of $3,000.
However, the judges will not receive the large salary increases that were once proposed. Instead, they only receive the 4% that other state employees receive.
Almost all of the additional $48 million in funding from the Georgia Lottery will go to the state's Department of Early Care and Education.
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The budget also includes nearly $19 million in spending for domestic violence and sexual assault shelters to offset steep federal funding cuts facing some agencies.
The budget also increases the amount local school boards must pay for health insurance for uncertified employees such as custodians, cafeteria workers and secretaries.
Lawmakers put another $60 million into new construction projects.
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