Georgia's budget for 2027 passed both chambers of the state Legislature last Thursday in the final hours of the 2026 legislative session, and is now heading to Gov. Brian Kemp's desk for final approval.
Key components of the $38.5 billion budget include a cost-of-living adjustment for state pensioners, basic education funding, and increased funding for certain Medicaid waiver programs.
State retirees could receive a cost-of-living adjustment to their future pension payments as the proposed budget sets aside $100 million for state employee retirement funding.
If passed, the budget would also fund over a thousand literacy coaches for all public schools with students in kindergarten through third grade using the state's Quality Basic Education funding formula. The formula allocates money based on enrollment and current programs, and would provide more consistent funding than the previously proposed grant program, which would have required schools to reapply every year.
The proposed budget sets aside $70 million in state funds for the literacy coaches.
Medicaid recipients could also benefit from the Legislature's budget, as it would provide $70 million in state funding for Medicaid waiver programs that provide in-house or community-based services.
Kemp, who possesses the power to line-item veto parts of the budget, has until May 12 to approve the budget, which will go into effect July 1.
