2026 Budget + Georgia Southern in Ireland

As Georgia lawmakers, our only constitutional requirement is to pass a balanced budget. This year, the Georgia House was proud to champion a budget that is not only balanced but also makes strategic investments in the areas that will keep our state the best place to live, work, and raise a family for generations to come—all while keeping more money in the pockets of Georgia’s taxpayers.

This morning, House members gathered under the Gold Dome as Governor Kemp signed the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget, codifying a fiscal plan that secures the current and long-term success of our great state.

Check out some of the highlights of the FY 2026 Budget below:

Education

• $22.7 million for literacy initiatives

• $6.9 million to strengthen student mental health resources by creating a reimbursable grant program for school systems to hire qualified student advocacy specialists

• $19.6 million for mental health support grants, providing $20,000 to every middle and high school in the state

• $108.9 million for school security grants, providing $47,124 annually to every public school in the state

• $14 million in lottery funds to strengthen Georgia’s Pre-K programs

Healthcare

• $8.8 million in new funding for maternal health programs, particularly in rural communities where access to care is limited

• $7.4 million in new funding for graduate medical education programs that ensure we can attract, train, and retain physicians to practice here in Georgia

• $9.4 million for a new behavioral health crisis center in North Fulton to continue strengthening access to mental healthcare across Georgia

Public Safety

• $1.3 million to the Council of Accountability Court Judges to increase participation in accountability courts, which will allow for an additional 664 Georgians to receive treatment and services for mental health and drug addiction rather than enter the prison system

• $13.4 million for the Department of Corrections and $3.1 million for the Department of Juvenile Justice to receive 4% pay increases

• $45 million to add more than 700 correctional officers to improve inmate-to-staff ratios.

Infrastructure

• $1.1 billion for infrastructure improvements in every corner of our state

Trump Administration Officials Visit Southeast Georgia

Last week, we were honored to host Administrator of the Small Business Administration Kelly Loeffler and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin in Southeast Georgia to witness all our state is doing to prepare the future leaders of our state and support our hardworking farmers.

Administrator Loeffler joined us in the district to visit Effingham College and Career Academy. Whether it's computer science, healthcare, agriculture, or engineering, ECCA’s approach to education prepares high school students for careers in some of our state’s highest-demand industries.

Touring Effingham College and Career Academy with Principal, Sara Huntley, Governor Kemp, First Lady Kemp, and SBA Administrator Loeffler

Hearing from a student about the various programs offered at ECCA

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin visited Shiloh Farms in Guyton, where he met with local farmers to discuss the Trump Administration’s plans to roll back burdensome regulations affecting agriculture nationwide.

Pictured with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Governor Brian Kemp, and local farmers from across Southeast Georgia

Georgia Southern University in Ireland

Dayle and I were excited to join members of our Southeast Georgia delegation on an economic development tour of Wexford, Ireland. During the mid-19th century, many Irish immigrants from Wexford settled in Savannah, and since then, our communities have shared a rich cultural and historical connection.

It’s because of this connection that Georgia Southern University established a campus in Wexford in 2022, where hundreds of students from across the state have had an opportunity to study abroad and further their academic careers. It was great to meet several of those students, and learn about how their experience in Ireland is preparing them for the opportunities that are available back home in Georgia.

Thank you to the officials in Wexford who graciously hosted us, and to the faculty, staff, and students at Georgia Southern who are going above and beyond to create a brighter future for our state.

Visiting the faculty, staff, and students at Georgia Southern’s Wexford Campus with Dr. Kyle Marrero, President of the University

Georgia Southern’s Wexford Campus is located in a historic administrative complex constructed in 1812

As always, please reach out anytime if I can ever be of assistance.

God Bless,
Speaker Jon Burns