Laying the Groundwork for Georgia's Financial Planning

"Passing a balanced budget is our one constitutional obligation, and each year, budget hearings serve the opportunity to lay the groundwork for the state’s financial planning..."
- Charlice Byrd

The 2025 - 2026 Legislative Session is underway and so much has already happened. I hope you'll stay in close touch as events unfold.

After winter weather interfered with the Joint Appropriations Committee meetings, the committee did meet Thursday, January 23 in Atlanta to hear on Community Development Block Grant.

Passing a balanced budget is our one constitutional obligation, and each year, budget hearings serve the opportunity to lay the groundwork for the state’s financial planning, covering both the remainder of the current fiscal year and the upcoming one. Gov. Kemp recently shared his official budget recommendations for the Amended Fiscal Year (AFY) 2025 and Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budgets. 

To view Gov. Kemp’s formal budget proposal recommendations, please click here, and I will discuss some highlights below. These recommendations will eventually be transformed into legislation that will determine how the state allocates its revenue for AFY 2025 and FY 2026.

While President Trump is calling for spending cuts, the Georgia Freedom Caucus is disappointed Governor Kemp is calling for increases. Every dollar spent by the state is not the state’s money. It is your money! The more we spend the more money we take from you.

For FY16, the state spent $22,990,473,796. They are proposing to spend $37,711,205,201 in FY 26 marking a 64% increase over the course of a decade. Over the same period of time our population increased by 9%. Now even with inflation and no cuts, according to the consumer price index that nearly $38B number should be less than $31B.

If you believe in the 2nd amendment, you may want to follow 3-gun bills I dropped last week.

HB119. Pre-emption reform. This bill will add civil penalties to our pre-emption law, giving law-abiding gun owners the mechanism to hold rogue cities and counties accountable in court for violating our current pre-emption law. This is specifically to deal with the Savannah Mayor and his attack on gun rights that are going unchecked by the AG’s office. 

HB120. Banning Red Flag Seizures. This bill prohibits local law enforcement from confiscating guns from anyone who hasn’t been convicted of committing a violent felony crime. Other red states have already done this.

HB121. The 2nd Amendment Preservation Act. This bill prevents the Federal government using Georgia Police Officers from enforcing any Federal gun control that is more stringent than state law.

Visit the Georgia House of Representatives website by clicking the button below, scroll down to "Find Legislation" and Search by Bill number. 

I take my job seriously and with utmost respect. It is an honor and privilege to serve District 20, Cherokee County and the state of Georgia.