$$ Georgia State Budget Process $$

January

Legislature convenes second Monday
Governor releases recommendation for:
- Amended/Supplemental Budget (current year adjustments to the budget)
- Continuation and Improvement Budget (Big Budget)

January through March – Legislative Session

Legislature reviews both Amended/Supplemental Budget and Continuation/Improvement Budget beginning in the House. The House Appropriation Committee assigns budget review to specific subcommittees who hold hearings and make recommendations. After approval by the House Appropriations Committee the budget is voted on by the House. The Senate follows the same process. After the Senate makes changes and approves their version of the budget a Conference Committee is appointed with six Representatives and six Senators to reach a compromise on the differences.
The Governor then has thirty days to sign the bill and can exercise a line item veto to cut budget items.
State agencies begin planning for budgets to present to the Governor in September

July/August

September to December

September 1 all state agencies submit budget requests to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget (OPB)
OPB and Legislative Budget Office (LOB) review agency budget requests
November: Governor’s office develops recommendations to the present to the Legislature in January. The Appropriations Committees of the Legislature may hold hearings on specific budget issues.
December: Revenue estimate is finalized and the Governor’s Budget Report is printed and will be released upon his Budget Address to the Legislature the first week of the session.



	HIGHLIGHTS “The only pure and consistent advocates for a child are his or her parents or family members,” explains Betsy Primm, coordinator of Georgia Learning Resource Services Metro-North branch. “That doesn’t mean that educators don’t advocate every day for their students, but year in and year out, that is a parent’s role.”