Day 22: Senate Passed Amended Fiscal Year Budget with Reduced Educator Pay Supplement

The midpoint of the 2026 session came and went during a busy sixth week of the legislative session that culminated today in brief morning floor sessions. House Floor Action Senate Floor Action Senate Passes AFY 2026 with Reduced Educator Pay Supplement The Senate approved the Amended Fiscal Year (AFY) 2026 budget , which covers the current school year. Sen. Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, highlighted the inclusion of Gov. Brian Kemp’s tax refund plan as well as the House plan to provide property tax relief grants in the Senate’s proposed budget. Covering both tax relief proposals would require drawing additional funds from state reserves. The Senate budget proposal would also reduce—from $2,000 to $1,250—the one-time salary supplement for educators and state employees proposed by Kemp and affirmed by the House. According to Tillery, this reduction would be offset by lower taxes if the Senate’s proposal to eliminate the state income tax is approved. Senate budget writers made several other changes to the education portion of the AFY budget, including: Adding $100,000 for facilities within business and finance administration at the Georgia Department of Education, which is a reduction from the $1,150,000 added by the House Providing
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