♪ ♪ >WE JUST HEARD FROM A SENATOR ABOUT THE VACCINE AND THE LIMITED AVAILABILITY.

THAT IS BUNK.

OUR STATE CONTINUES TO ROLL THAT OUT.

IS IT OUR GOVERNOR'S FAULT THAT CERTAIN POPULATIONS ARE AFRAID TO GO GET THE VACCINE?

NO.

>>> FINGER POINTING TODAY OVER THE VACCINE NUMBERS EACH SIDE BLAMING THE OTHER.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "LAWMAKERS" ON THIS LEGISLATIVE DAY 32, WE WILL HAVE MORE ON THE BACK AND FORTH OVER GEORGIA'S VACCINE NUMBERS IN A MOMENT.

PROTESTS CONTINUE AT THE CAPITOL OVER THE ELECTIONS BILL.

TODAY THEY CALL THEMSELVESED THE MORAL MONDAY MOVEMENT AND DEMOCRATS ARE PUSHING TO USE THE MONEY COMING FROM THE STATE FROM THE FEDERAL STIMULUS PACKAGE TO EXPAND MEDICAID IN THE STATE.

WE WILL SPEND MOST OF THE SHOW THOUGH DIGGING IN TO THE PROPOSED $27.2 BILLION BUDGET FOR FISCAL 2022.

WHERE'S THE MONEY COMING FROM?

AND WHERE WILL IT GO.

GEORGIA'S BUDGET GURUS FROM THE HOUSES AND SENATE ARE JOINING US AND WILL BREAK IT DOWN.

FIRST OUR CAPITOL CORRESPONDENT, BRENDA WATERS, HAS THE RUN DOWN ON THE DAY.

BRENDA?

>> HEY, SO POINTS OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE ON THE SENATE FLOOR, NICKY MERIT GOT SOME OF HER COLLEAGUES FIRED UP WHEN SHE TALKED ABOUT LOCO INDIVIDUAL VACCINE NUMBERS AND HOW GOVERNOR KEMP IS AT FAULT.

>> WE CONTINUE TO RANK AS ONE OF THE LOWEST IN THE NATION.

WE ARE THE GREAT STATE OF GEORGIA.

I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE SO BEHIND IN OUR VACCINATION RATE.

>> GOVERNOR KEMP IS FAILING IN BOTH LOGISTICAL AND ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.

THE GOVERNOR AND HIS ADMINISTRATION ARE LETTING VACCINES SIT IN FREEZERS INSTEAD OF DEPLOYING THE MAX NUMBER OF SHOTS TO SAVE LIVES.

>> Reporter: THESE COMMENTS DID NOT SIT WELL WITH SEVERAL REPUBLICANS AND CAME OUT SWINGING IN THE GOVERNOR'S DEFENSE.

>> THAT IS BUNK, OUR STATE CONTINUES TO ROLL THAT OUT.

IS IT OUR GOVERN ER'S FAULT THAT CERTAIN POPULATIONS ARE AFRAID TO GO GET THE VACCINE?

NO.

>> Reporter: SENATOR JOHN ALBERS BLAMES THE LOW VACCINE NUMBERS ON BAD PRESS.

>> WHEN YOU CONTINUE TO PUT FRONT PAGE HEADLINES ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT IS NEGATIVE AND WRONG AND ONLY SHOWING ONE SLIVER OF THE STORY AND NOT THE TRUTH OF THE REST OF THE STORY, WE CALL THAT A LIE.

SO, GEORGIA HAS A LOWER VACCINATION RATE OVERALL.

BUT WE HAVE THE HIGHEST FOR SENIOR CITIZENS.

THE 77% OF THOSE WHO ARE DYING, WELL OF COURSE, WE WANT TO VACCINATE THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT THE MOST WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO LOSING THEIR LIFE.

THE MEDIA HAS CONTINUED TO BEAT UP GOVERNOR KEMP AND YET HE HAS BEEN RIGHT EVERY SINGLE TIME IN THE VIRUS.

>> Reporter: SENATOR MERIT HAS A PLAN AS TO WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO BOOST VACCINE NUMBERS.

>> THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SOLUTIONS WE SHOULD CONSIDER FROM OTHER STATES THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL INCLUDING, MOBILE VACCINATION CLINICS, A MORE SEAMLESS APPOINTMENT SYSTEM, FURTHER EXPANSION OF MASS VACCINATION CLINICS THAT ARE WALK UP AND DRIVE-THRU, NO APPOINTMENT REQUIREMENT.

A BETTER INFORMATION CAMPAIGN TO HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND THE ELIGIBILITY AND BETTER OUTREACH TO THOSE WHO LACK MOBILITY IN HARD TO REACH COMMUNITIES.

>> Reporter: PROTESTERS WERE AGAIN OUTSIDE THE STATE CAPITOL TO VERBALLY DECLARE THE OPPOSITION TO BILLS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE THAT WILL CHANGE THE WAY GEORGIANS VOTE, IT WAS CALLED THE MORAL MONDAY MOVEMENT.

LISTEN IN.

>> VOTE NO ON 18531.

VOTE NO ON -- MORE THAN 40 GROUPS HAVE COME TOGETHER, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE STANDING HERE TODAY TO SAY NO TO VOTER SUPPRESSION, TODAY IS OUR 14TH DAY.

14TH DAY STANDING RIGHT HERE.

>> WE ARE HERE ON THE CAPITOL GROUNDS PROTESTING THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TOO MANY VOTER SUPPRESSION LEGISLATION LAWS GOING THROUGH.

>> NO JUSTICE!

>> NO PEACE!

>> PROTECT THE VOTE!

>> WE SAID PROTECT THE VOTE!

>> PROTECT THE VOTE!

>> HOUSE BILL 531 AND SENATE BILL 241 ARE STILL BOTH IN COMMITTEE.

WELL THAT NEAR $2 TRILLION, WITH A T, TRILLION DOLLARS COVID RELIEF BILL SIGNED BY PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN LAST WEEK WILL GIVE 4.7 BILLION, WITH A B TO THE STATE OF GEORGIA.

THIS MORNING GEORGIA DEMOCRATS HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE TO TALK ABOUT USING THAT MONEY TO EXPAND MEDICAID.

>> THIS MORNING WE COME BEFORE YOU AS YOU KNOW THE FEDERAL GO.

HAS PASSED LEGISLATION THAT WILL GIVE THE STATE OF GEORGIA MONEY TO EXPAND HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR ALL GEORGIANS.

>> AND LAST WEEK, GEORGIA DELIVERED FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BY SENDING TWO SENATORS TO D.C. THAT VOTED TO PASS THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.

NOW, IN THAT GEORGIA, IT'S TIME FOR US TO DELIVER FOR EVERY GEORGIAN, BY EXPANDING MEDICAID IT WOULD BE A NET ZERO COST FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS TO THE STATE OF GEORGIA.

>> THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GIVING US YET ANOTHER CHANCE TO PROVIDE SOME HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE WITH MEDICAID EXPANSION FREE.

AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY THERE'S NO FREE, BUT TO THE STATE OF GEORGIA, THERE'S NO MATCH.

>> AND LASTLY SENATE BILL 5 PASSED IN THE HOUSE THIS MORNING.

160-5.

IT WOULD PROVIDE PROTECTION MEASURES FOR PATIENTS UNDERGOING SEDATION IN CERTAIN SETTINGS AND THE BILL WAS CARRIED BY REPRESENTATIVE LEE HAWKINS.

>> THIS BILL ENSURES PATIENT PROTECTION WHILE ADDRESSING SEDATION IN SETTINGS AND IN PARTICULAR, MEDI-SPAS, IT'S SORT OF A NEW THING THAT IS HAPPENING WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO IN AND HAVE LIPOSUCTION AND WRINKLES REMOVED AND ALL IN ONE DAY AND BE HOME AT LUNCH.

>> IT NOW GOES BACK TO THE SENATE.

THAT IS MY CAPITOL REPORT TONIGHT, DONNA BACK TO YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, BRENDA.

>>> TONIGHT, WE WILL DEDICATE THE REST OF THE HOUR TO THE STATE BUDGET.

IT IS THE ONE THING THAT GEORGIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY MUST DO EVERY YEAR.

JOINING US TO TALK INDEPTH ABOUT THIS, THE BUDGET, THE FISCAL 2021 BUDGET AND THE 2022 BUDGET OUR HOUSE APPROPRIATION CHAIRMAN TERRY ENGLAND AND BLAKE TILLERY, WELCOME TO "LAWMAKERS."

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> GLAD TO BE HERE.

>> I WANTED TO SHARE THE DISCLAIMER THAT GEORGIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING IS A STATE AGENCY AND RECEIVES SOME FUNDING FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THIS IS THE FIRST BUDGET SHOW SINCE WE SHUT DOWN LAST YEAR.

WHEN WE WERE DEALING WITH THE CORONAVIRUS, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF PRODUCING A STATE BUDGET IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.

LET'S START WITH YOU.

>> WELL, IT WAS INTERESTING ON SAY THE LEAST.

FIRST, I HAVE TO COMPLIMENT CHAIRMAN ENGLAND AND THE HOUSE, REMEMBER WHEN WE ADJOURNED FOR THE BIG BREAK, A LOT OF STUFF HAPPENED IN THAT TIME, WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT IT LATER.

THE PASSING OF CHAIRMAN, SENATOR JACK HILL WAS A BIG PART OF THAT.

APPRECIATE OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE HOUSE FOR THEIR HELP IN THAT PROCESS, REALLY THE BUDGET THEY PASSED US AS WE ROLLED IN TO THAT BREAK, ENDED UP BEING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

HAD TO BE DIFFERENT.

AND CHAIRMAN ENGLAND KNEW THAT, APPRECIATE THE SPEAKER AND THE FOLKS AT THE HOUSE THAT WORKED WITH US TO MAKE SURE THAT IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT REFLECTED GEORGIA VALUES IN THE END.

>> WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT HOW YOU MOVED IN THE POSITION AND STEPPED UP IN A GOOD WAY.

LET'S TALK WITH YOU, CHAIRMAN ENGLAND.

THIS IS DIFFERENT FOR YOU, BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN DOING -- HOW MANY YEARS?

>> 11 YEARS.

>> HOW WAS IT DIFFERENT?

>> YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE HERE AND TOOK THE BREAK ON MARCH 13TH LAST YEAR, WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING THE HOME FOR TWO WEEKS AND IT WOUND UP BEING THREE MONTHS OR WHATEVER IT WAS.

AND COMING BACK, WITHIN THAT TWO WEEK PERIOD, WE KNEW THAT THINGS WOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT.

AND KNEW THAT, THAT THE GOOD WORK THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAD DONE IN THE HOUSE ON THE BUDGET, WOULD SUBSTANTIALLY GO OUT THE WINDOW BECAUSE AT THAT POINT, WE GOT KIND OF IN SURVIVAL MODE QUITE FRANKLY, AND OUR FRIENDS IN THE SENATE AND SENATOR TILLERY DID AN OUT STANDING JOB OF STEPPING IN TO PROBABLY ONE OF THE WORST FINANCIAL CRISIS, OR IT LOOKED THAT WAY AT THE TIME, THAT THE STATE HAS EVER HAD.

EVEN MORE SO THAN 08/09/10.

IT WAS SLOW, A SLOW DECLINE COMPARED TO WHAT WE SAW IN APRIL AND MAY OF THIS LAST YEAR.

>> WHEN WE STARTED THE SESSION LAST YEAR, WE WERE CUTTING BUDGETS.

YOU KNOW, YOU CUT THE PREVIOUS BUDGET AND THEN WE WOULD GO IN THE DARK PERIOD, WITH THE VIRUS, NOT KNOWING WHAT THINGS WERE GOING TO BE LIKE.

SO, THAT MUST HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT THROUGH THE MONTHS BEFORE JUNE WHEN SPECIAL SESSION CAME IN TO PLAY.

>> WELL, IT WAS.

AND YOU KNOW, WE ULTIMATELY WOUND UP CUTTING THE ENTIRE BUDGET BY 10%.

OUR INITIAL NUMBERS LOOKED LIKE WE WOULD NEED TO BE IN THE 14% RANGE.

SO, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY THE DATA GETS FRESHER.

YOU GET TO SEE IT AND SEE WHAT THE PATTERNS WILL BE, AND AS WE GOT CLOSER TO COMING BACK IN JUNE, THE GOVERNOR THEN SAID, WELL, LET'S DROP BACK TO 11%.

THEN WE, ONCE WE GOT HERE AND CONTINUED TO GET FRESHER NUMBERS WE WOUND UP AT 10%.

THAT IS DRASTIC BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S AMAZING WHAT THAT 1% DIFFERENCE DID.

AND WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO WITH THAT 1% DIFFERENCE.

>> AND REMEMBER THAT, SO THAT'S THE BAD PART.

WAS THERE ANYTHING GOOD THAT CAME OUT OF THAT PERIOD OF TIME WHERE YOU HAD A BREAK?

>> IF THERE WAS ANYTHING GOOD, I WOULD SAY, WE STARTED GOING AS DEEP AS WE NEEDED TO GO.

THE THING WITH THE GREAT RECESSION, YEAR AFTER YEAR, WE HAD TO COME BACK AND CARVE A LITTLE MORE, A LITTLE MORE, A LITTLE MORE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SENATE WANTED ON TO DO, IF WE ARE GOING HAVE TO CUT, LET'S GO AS BAD AS WE HAVE TO IN THE BEGINNING SO WE ARE NOT SLOWLY BLEEDING A DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS OVER THE NEXT 18, 24 MONTHS.

AT THE TIME, WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW MANY MONTHS IT WOULD BE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT GEORGIA RECEIVED ALREADY AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THEIR ABOUT TO RECEIVE IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH OF THE $4.1 BILLION IN THE FIRST PACKAGE?

>> WELL, YES, AND SO, A LOT OF THAT IS TIED DIRECTLY TO COVID RESPONSE.

A HOT OF IT GOES TOWARD TESTING.

IT GOES TOWARD OUR STATE AGENCIES AND THE SPECIAL RESPONSES THAT THEY MAY HAVE HAD TO DO.

NONE OF THOSE FUNDS COULD BE USED AS REVENUE REPLACEMENT.

SO, ANYTHING THAT WAS BUDGETED AS OF MARCH OF LAST YEAR, NONE OF THOSE DOLLARS, THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS COULD BE USED TO SUPPLANT THOSE, THEY HAD TO GO TO THINGS YOU HAD IN THE PLANNED FOR.

THAT HAS BEEN A LITTLE DIFFICULT.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE GOT A LOT OF STATE AGENCIES THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE RESPONSE, THAT REALLY QUITE FRANKLY 100% OF WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS COVID RESPONSE, BUT WE HAD ALREADY BUDGETED, BECAUSE THEY ARE A STATE AGENCY THAT OPERATES 12 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR.

SO IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT IN FIGURING OUT JUST HOW YOU USE THE FUNDS AND FRANKLY, TREASURY, U.S. TREASURY HAS NOT BEEN A LOT OF HELP BECAUSE THEY WOULD ISSUE ONE SET OF GUIDELINES THIS WEEK, AND THREE WEEKS LATER, A DIFFERENT SET OF GUIDELINES AND TWO MONTHS LATER, ONE THAT IS COMPLETELY CONTRARIY TO THE TWO THAT HAS COME OUT.

SO, IT'S BEEN A BIT OF BACK AND FORTH ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW YOU CAN USE THE DOLLARS SO YOU DON'T GET YOURSELF IN THE POINT THAT AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO RETURN THE DOLLARS.

>> EVERYBODY WAS TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT AS THEY WENT ALONG, IT SEEMS.

THE CHALLENGES, WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES IN NOT BEING ABLE TO REFLECT EXACTLY HOW MUCH THE FEDERAL MONEY AFFECTED EVERYTHING?

WHERE IT WENT AND THAT KIND OF THING?

>> THE BIG THING THAT WE WANTED IN THE FIRST SET WAS TO DO REVENUE REPLACEMENT, WHEN WE KNEW WE WERE LOSING THINGS ON PERSONAL INCOME TAX AT THE TIME, WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT THAT.

AND SELF TAX, AND HOTEL/MOTEL WAS THE BIGGEST LOST WE SAW.

WE WANTED TO USE THE FEDERAL MONEY TO REPLACE THOSE THE THINGS BUT THE CARES ACT GUIDING WAS CLEAR THAT YOU COULDN'T.

WE HAVE FOUND OTHER WAYS TO DO IT ANDTHE RULES HAVE RELAXED A BIT.

NOW AS YOU SEE, THE AMERICAN RECOVERY PLAN, YOU HAVE A PROVISION WHERE YOU CAN BACKFILL REVENUE THIS TIME AROUND.

SO WE ARE IN A GREAT SPOT, AND MAINLY BECAUSE GEORGIA REVENUE NUMBERS STAYED STRONG AND THE THINGS FOR THAT AND CREDIT FOR THAT, HAD THEY HAVE TO GO TO THE GOVERNOR.

HE KEPT, HE TOOK A HUGE POLITICAL RISK AND KEPT THE STATE OPEN WHEN OTHERS DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS THE WISEST THING TO DO.

BUT THE REVENUE NUMBERS REFLECT THAT.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE MONEY, $4.7 BILLION THAT'S COMING IN.

THE $4.7 BILLION, HAVE THE DISCUSSIONS STARTED BETWEEN YOU AND THE GOVERNOR WHEN IT COMES TO THAT MONEY?

>> WELL, ONE THING TO UNDERSTAND IS ON FEDERAL FUNDS, THE STATE CONSTITUTION GIVES BASICALLY 100% OF THAT ABILITY ON HOW TO SPEND THOSE FEDERAL FUNDS TO THE GOVERNOR.

SO, WE REFLECT A LOT OF FEDERAL FUNDS IN THE STATE BUDGET.

BUT, WHAT WE ARE TRULY BUDGETING ARE ONLY THE STATE FUNDS.

WE ARE NOT REALLY BUDGETING ANY OF THE FEDERAL FUNDS.

WE ARE JUST SHOWING A LOT OF IT FOR HISTORY'S SAKE, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM THE.

BUT WE HAVE BEEN STARTING TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS OVER THE LAST PROBABLY WEEK AND A HALF WITH THE GOVERNOR'S FOLKS WITH OPB AND DIRECTOR FARR THERE ON WHAT IDEAS ARE THAT WE CAN USE THE DOLLARS FOR, YOU WANT TO NOT DO THINGS THAT CREATE ONGOING EXPENDITURES AS FAR AS STANDING UP A NEW STATE AGENCY THAT YOU THEN HAVE IS TO FUND IN THE FUTURE.

DO THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE THAT YOU JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO.

A LOT OF OF THOSE AGAIN, ARE CAPITOL TYPE EXPENDITURES ON THINGS THAT WE TYPICALLY BIND PROJECTS FOR, NEW ROOFS ON THE GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER, THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT PUT GEORGIANS TO WORK, AND GET MONEY FLOWING IN THE ECONOMY.

AND THAT FILTERS OUT AND EVERYBODY FEELS -- ALL THE BOATS START RISING INSTEAD OF 1 OR 2.

>> SO GETTING TO THINGS THAT YOU HAD HOPED TO BE ABLE TO FUND, BUT YOU JUST COULDN'T.

>> RIGHT.

>> I HAVE TO SAY IN THE HOUSE, THE HOUSE ADDED $650,000 TO AUDIT THE STATE'S USE OF THE CORONAVIRUS FUNDS.

TALK A BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> SURE HAD, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS THAT THE STATES WILL DO THEIR OWN AUDITING, THEY MAY COME IN THEMSELVES AND DO SOME AUDITING BUT IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SPENT THE FUNDS THE WAY WE SAY IS WE SPENT THEM AND THAT THEY WERE SPENT WISELY.

OUR STATE AUDITOR WORKS FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BUT HE REALLY WORKS FOR ALL GEORGIANS, SO, PART OF HIS ROLE IS TO SEE WHERE THE FUNDS HAVE GONE.

>> LET'S SWITCH TOPICS A LITTLE, AND TALK MENTAL HEALTH.

THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.

OVER ON THE HOUSE SIDE, YOU DID PASS THE 2022 BUDGET ON MARCH 5TH RIGHT AFTER THE PASSAGE, HOUSE SPEAKER ROLSTON DEVOTED A SIGNIFICANT PART OF HIS PRESS CONFERENCE TO THAT PRIORITY.

LET'S HEAR IT.

>> I THINK WE HAVE ADDED A HUGE AMOUNT OF NEW RESOURCES TO THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.

IT'S NEVER AS MUCH AS YOU HOPE TO DO.

BUT I THINK THIS WAS A REALISTIC EFFORT AND I THINK SENDS A STRONG MESSAGE THAT WE ARE MAKING MENTAL HEALTH A PRIORITY IN GEORGIA.

>> OKAY, I KNOW THAT WAS ON THE HOUSE SIDE, CHAIRMAN TILRY, THERE'S THE FEELING FROM LEADERSHIP THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS A BIG PRIORITY EVERYWHERE.

>> AND IT'S SHARED ON THE SENATE SIDE AS WELL.

YOU WILL PROBABLE SEE IT REFLECTED IN OUR BUDGET.

WE HAVE NOT FINISHED UP OURS YET.

BUT THERAPUTIC FOSTER CARE, ANYTHING THAT DEALS WITH FOSTER CHILDREN.

I THINK YOU WILL SEE FOCUS ON THOSE AS WELL.

>> I THINK PARTY OF IT WAS THE PANDEMIC AND RECOGNIZING, ESPECIALLY WHEN PEOPLE WERE QUARANTINED THE ANXIETY, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT PEOPLE WERE GOING THROUGH, RECOGNIZING THAT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES DO EXIST AND BEING OKAY WITH TALKING ABOUT THEM.

>> WELL, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE FOCUSED ON NOW FOR, I DON'T KNOW, 10, 11, 12 YEARS IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA IS TRYING TO BUILD OUR MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HAD DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, MENTAL HEALTH ASPECT ESPECIALLY IN OUR STATE OVER THE LAST 10-12 YEARS.

WE HAVE CONSTANTLY BEEN BUILDING.

WE HAVE MADE SOME DRAMATIC INVESTMENTS OVER A TEN YEAR OLD PERIOD, PROBABLY 250 OR $10 MILLION THAT WE ADDED TO THAT AGENCY OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME.

WE STILL RUN IN KIND OF THE QUANDARY THAT QUITE OFTEN IT'S HARD TO FIND THOSE PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND THAT'S NOT JUST GEORGIA, IT'S A NATIONWIDE PROBLEM.

THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF THOSE PROVIDERS, YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO GO IN TO THAT FIELD, AND SO, IT BECOMES A, KIND OF A BALANCING ACT FOR US, HOW MUCH CAN YOU GROW IT, AND AS YOU GROW IT, DO YOU HAVE IS ENOUGH PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES AND YOU CAN'T JUST GROW IT A BIG JUMP, AND EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO ON DO IT.

YOU HAVE GOT TO KIND OF GROW IT IN TANDEM WITH MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN DELIVER THAT LEVEL OF CARE THAT YOU NEED.

>> OKAY, WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT NUMBERS RIGHT NOW.

SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IN THAT BUDGET.

THE GOVERNOR ADDED $22 MILLION, THEN THE HOUSE ADDED ANOTHER $36 HAD MILLION FOR A TOTAL OF $1.19 BILLION.

AND CHAIRMAN, TILRY, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO WORK?

IS THAT ENOUGH FOR NOW?

>> AND THAT DOESN'T REFLECT THE FUNDS THAT WILL BE RECEIVED OUT OF THE FEDERAL PACKAGES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AS WELL.

WE WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY FUND DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN WAYS WE HAVE NOT BEEN BEFORE ARE.

AND A STRONG SENATE FOCUS TO MOVE US OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SETTLEMENT.

>> SO LOOK AT MORE NUMBERS A COUPLE OF THE MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING IN THE HOUSE.

$9.2 MILLION ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR SERVICES FOR 7,000 MORE GEORGIANS, THAT IS EXPANDING IT.

7 MILLION FOR A CRISIS CENTER FOR THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLITY AND MONEY FOR SUICIDE EPIDEMIOLOGIST, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CRISIS CENTER.

>> GEORGIA WILL BE THE FIRST STATE IN THE COUNTRY THAT WILL HAVE THAT TYPE OF FACILITY AND CHAIR LADY THAT HANDLES OUR HUMAN SERVICES PORTION OF THE BUDGET IN THE HOUSE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SHE LIVES AND BREATHES THIS PARTICULAR PART OF THE BUDGET.

AND ONE OF THE KINDEST HEARTED PEOPLE I HAVE EVER KNOWN.

AND LAST YEAR AS WE WERE -- EXCUSE ME, NOT LAST YEAR, LAST MONTH, ASWORKED THE AMENDED BUDGET, STANDING IT UP AND ANNUALIZING IT IN THE FY22 BUDGET.

BUT IT WILL BE LIKE I SAID, A STATE OF THE ART, THE ONLY ONE IN THE COUNTRY LIKE IT, TO TARGET A VERY SPECIFIC POPULATION THAT NEEDS HELP.

AND SO, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT, AND EXCITING TO SEE, EXCITED TO SEE WHAT IT WILL BE DOING AND HOW IT WILL BE HELPING PEOPLE GOING FORWARD.

>> YEAH, I KNOW WE ARE GOING HAVE THE REPRESENTATIVE DEMPSEY AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE -- I HAVE AN INTERVIEW WITH THE COMMISSIONER, JUDY FITZGERALD ON THURSDAY.

WE WILL TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE MORE.

BUT THE FEELING THAT PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES NEED A PLACE OF THEIR OWN.

>> YEP.

>> AND NOT, WHEN IT COMES TO A CRISIS LIKE THIS.

>> EXACTLY.

>> SO WE WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED ON THIS BUDGET SHOW.

COMING UP NEXT, LET'S TALK ABOUT BROAD BAND AND HOW THE PANDEMIC HAS AFFECTED THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF THE STATE'S BUDGET.

THAT IS EDUCATION.

YOU ARE WATCHING "LAWMAKERS" ON GPB.

>>> COMMITTEE MEETS AND BASICALLY IRONS OUT THE DIFFERENCES.

>> WHAT ARE THE MEETINGS LIKE?

>> THEY CAN BE EXCITING BUT WE HOPE NOT.

>> NO, YOU KNOW, I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF DOING THIS NOW NINE YEARS AND JACKIE HAS DONE IT CONSIDERABLY LONGER THAN THAT.

BUT, THE RELATIONSHIP HE AND I HAVE HAS BEEN ONE OVER THE LAST NINE YEARS THAT I UNDERSTAND WHERE HE IS COMING FROM.

HE UNDERSTANDS WHERE I'M COMING FROM AND I MENTIONED A BIT AGO ABOUT BOTH BEING FORM ER RETAILERS.

WE KIND OF LOOK AT PROBLEMS AND ADDRESS PROBLEMS A LOT IN THE SAME WAYS.

WE THINK THROUGH PROBLEMS A LOT IN THE SAME WAY.

SO, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN.

I CAN'T THINK OF A FELLA I WOULD RATHER HAVE SITTING ACROSS THE TABLE FROM ME THAN JACK -- >> THAT WAS OUR 2019 BUDGET SHOW WITH THE WONDERFUL SCOTT SLADE AS THE HOST AND WITH THE LATE STATE SENATOR JACK HILL.

IT'S KIND OF EMOTIONAL FOR BOTH OF YOU TO EVEN SEE THAT.

RIGHT?

YOU -- FIRST OF ALL, YOU STILL LOOK THE SAME TWO YEARS LATER.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE GIANT, THE GIANT PERSON JACK HILL WAS.

>> JACK WAS -- JACK WAS A LOT OF THINGS TO ME.

HE WAS A VERY DEAR FRIEND.

A BIG BROTHER.

FATHER FIGURE IN MANY WAYS AND A MENTOR.

I SAID I WANT -- SOMEBODY ASKED ME ON THE HOUSE FLOOR AS I WAS PRESENTING THE BUDGET A COUPLE OF DAYS.

I SAID JACK WAS A LITTLE BIT OF SANDPAPER AND A LOT OF LAMB'S WOOL.

INCREDIBLY HUGE HEART FOR THE STATE AND 54 THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE UP THE STATE.

AND ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR THE LITTLE GUY.

AND PART OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MENTIONED IN THAT CLIP, MENTIONED ABOUT US BOTH BEING FORMER RETAILERS.

AND JACK WAS IN THE GROCERY STORE BUSINESS, AND SO, HE SAW A LOT OF FOLKS AND HE IS A YOU A LOT OF FOLKS STRUGGLING AS THEY CAME IN TO BUY FOOD FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

AND SO, BEING IN THAT BUSINESS, YOU SEE PEOPLE IN THEIR GOOD TYPES AND YOU SEE PEOPLE IN THEIR BAD TIMES.

AND JACK ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THE FOLKS IN THE BAD TIMES AND CELEBRATING WITH THEM IN THE GOOD TIMES TOO.

BUT, JACK WAS JUST A DEAR FRIEND.

>> AND WE LOST HIM RIGHT AFTER EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN.

SO, WHEN THINGS SHUT DOWN, WE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO BE THE ONE DOING THE BUDGET AND HE DONE IT FOR HOW MANY YEARS?

>> 18.

>> 18 YEARS, AND THEN WE LOST HIM AND JUNE HAPPENED.

FOR YOU IT MEANT STEPPING IN TO SOME REALLY BIG SHOES.

>> SEE, I GREW UP WITH MR. JACK, HE LIVED 15 MILES AWAY FROM ME IN RURAL DISTRICTS IN SOUTH GEORGIA, THAT IS BASICALLY NEXT DOOR.

SO I HAD WORKED HIS GOLF TOURNAMENTS IN THE DAYS AND I HAD BEEN TO HIS GROCERY ARE STORE, THE HILL SHOPPING CENTER.

HE WAS A MENTOR AND A FRIEND.

HE IS THE ONLY PERSON IN OUR BODY AT THAT TIME AND NOW, WHO COULD LEAN THE SENATE BY LEANING HIS HEAD.

HE DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING.

SOMEONE WOULD JUST ASK WHAT HIS OPINION WAS AND HE WOULD DO HIS EYE LIKE THIS AND LEAN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND THE BILL WOULD DIE.

I WATCHED IN THE LAST YEAR, AND THERE WAS A BILL THAT WE WERE ALL VOTING YES FOR AND HE WAS VOTING NO AND THERE WAS A SECOND BILL COMING UP RIGHT AFTER, VERY SIMILAR AND YOU SAW TEN NS POPPED UP.

AND YOU ASKED AND THEY SAID, I THOUGHT JACK WAS NOT FOR THAT ONE.

AND HE SAID, NO, I WAS OKAY WITH THAT ONE.

I WAS NOT FOR THAT THE OTHER ONE.

I WISH I HAD THE LEVEL OF COMPASSION THAT HE.

>> I HATE IT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GRIEF AND MOURN HIM THE WAY WE SHOULD HAVE.

>> BECAUSE YOU GUYS, HE PASSED AWAY SHORTLY EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN.

BUT WE STILL HAD THAT SPECIAL SESSION IN JUNE JUST FOR THE BUDGET.

AND THAT WAS A HEAVY LIFT.

RIGHT?

THAT WAS REALLY A HEAVY LIFT.

>> IT WAS, I MEAN, WE JACK AND I AND THE GOVERNOR FOLKS HAD ALREADY STARTED FIGURING OUT WHAT IT WAS THAT WE WERE GOING TO NEED TO DO.

AND WE WERE HAVING, IF NOT DAILY CONVERSATIONS EVERY OUR DAY CONVERSATIONS BACK AND FORTH AND TRYING FIGURE OUT WHERE WE WERE DOING TO BE, AND THEN, THAT EVENING, THAT MONDAY, CHAIRMAN TILRY CALLS AND BREAKS THE NEWS TO ME AND IT WAS JUST, I KIND OF FELT LIKE THE WORLD STOPPED TURNING FOR A FEW MINUTES RIGHT THERE.

IT REALLY DID.

THINK ABOUT JACK VERY OFTEN AND STILL MISS HIM.

>> HE WAS WORKING AT THE TIME OF HIS DEPTH, WASN'T HE?

>> HE WAS.

>> HE WAS WORKING FOR GEORGIA.

I AM GLAD WE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT HIM A LITTLE BIT.

HE WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT NEXT AND WE ARE GOING TO GET IN TO BROAD BAND.

THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC HE IS POSED THE FAILINGS OF BROAD BAND, ALONG THE AREA OF RURAL BROAD BAND.

WHAT WERE YOU HEAR SOMETHING.

>> BROAD BAND HAS BEEN A MAIN PRIORITY SINCE I WAS BACK IN THE COUNTY COMMISSION DAYS.

IT'S A GREAT EQUALIZE AER, PARTICULARLY FOR RURAL GEORGIA.

I'M PROUD OF THE NUMBERS THAT WAS PUT IN THE AMENDED BUDGET AND THIS YEAR ACE BUDGET.

YOU HAVE 30 YEARS THERE.

WITH THE ITEMS ROLLING IN.

I REMIND FOLKS THAT I HAVE THE REMIND SOME OF MY MORE SUBURBAN AND URBAN COLLEAGUES.

THERE'S PARTS OF YOUR DISTRICT WE ARE DOING CREATIVE THINGS NOW.

AND THERE'S THINGS THAT YOU ROLL OUT IN THE BUDGET TO BE GOOD, AND REMEMBER, THE AMERICAN RECOVERY PLAN DOLLARS CAN BE USED FOR THAT.

THERE'S OTHER THING WERS DOING WITH THE U.S. MILITARY AND AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY THAT ARE STREAMLY INTERESTING THAT CAN DRIVE DOWN OUR COSTS.

AND I KNOW WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GO IN TO THOSE TONIGHT.

EXCITED AND I HOPE GEORGIA KNOWS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON IT FROM A MULTI-ANGLE.

WE REALIZED THAT ONE SIZE IS NOT GOING TO FIT ALL.

>> AND IT'S EXPENSIVE.

I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE REALIZE HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS TO GET US WHERE WE NEED TO BE WHEN IT COMES TO BROAD BAND IN THE STATE.

>> YEAH, AND THAT'S, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HOPE WE ARE ABLE TO DO.

WE ASK THE U.S. MILITARY.

WE SAID HEY, THANKFULLY IT'S NOT.

IF GEORGIA WAS A WAR FIELD, IF IT WAS A BATTLEFIELD, HOW DO YOU PROVIDE INTERNET ACCESSES AND BROAD BAND CAPABILITIES ACROSS THE STATE.

THAT HELPED TREMENDOUSLY DRIVING DOWN COST.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THE BUDGET CALLS FOR IS $150,000 FOR BROAD BAND A MAPPING.

EXPLAIN WHAT IT'S ABOUT AND HOW WE ARE NEEDED.

THE WORK OF THE HOUSE RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO NOW, STARTED DIVING IN AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW, WHAT IS THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO KNOW IN ORDER TO FIX THIS ISSUE.

AND THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO MIND OR CAME TO THE TABLE WAS, WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS SERVED AND WHAT IS NOT SERVED.

AND USING THE FCC MAPS, THEY GO BY CENSUS TRACKS AND IF ONE INDIVIDUAL IN THE CENSUS TRACK IS SERVED, IT'S CONSIDERED THAT THAT ENTIRE CENSUS TRACK IS SERVED.

AND DEPENDING ON THE DEFINITION, WHETHER IT'S 100 DOWN AND TEN UP, OR 25 DOWN AND THREE UP, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WERE FINDING IS THAT THERE MIGHT BE ONE HOUSEHOLD OR ONE BUSINESS IN THE VERY NORTHWEST CORNER OF THAT CENSUS TRACK THAT WAS SERVED BUT NOBODY ELSE IN THE ENTIRE TRACK WAS SERVED.

SO WE STARTED PUTTING MONEY IN BACK A FEW YEARS AGO, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO TO GET THE MAPS AND BREAK DOWN THE CENSUS TRACKS AND FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHO IS AND WHO IS NOT SERVED.

THAT WILL BE UPDATED AS WE ADD BROAD BAND CONNECTIVITY ACROSS THE STATE.

IT WILL BE USED FOR THE FUNDS THAT THE GOVERNOR PUT IN THE AMENDED BUDGET AND IN THE FY22 BUDGET AS WELL FOR THE BROAD BAND GRANTS TO COMMUNITIES.

>> YEAH, AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE ENC STEPPING UP AND WE HAVE SOME COUNTIES THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO DO WELL WITH THAT.

I WANT TO ASK YOU BOTH ABOUT A PIECE OF LEGISLATION FOR RURAL BROAD BAND IN SENATE BILL 65.

IT WOULD TAP THE UNIVERSAL ACCESS FUND FOR RURAL BROAD BAND.

THE BILL, AND THE SENATOR HAS BEEN ON THE -- HOUSE RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AT TIMES.

SO, LOOK IT'S ANOTHER TOOL IN THE TOOL BOX.

SO MANY AVENUES WE ARE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, WE CAN USE PART OF THE UNIVERSAL AND IT WAS USED TO HELP GET TELEPHONE SERVICE OUT TO RURAL AREAS NOW THAT WE HAVE WITH DONE THAT HARDLINE TELEPHONE SERVICE, MAYBE WHAT'S THE MOST MORE IMPORTANT THING IS GETTING THE BROAD BAND IN THE LAST MILE TO HOMES THAT ARE IN HAZELHURST.

>> IT TAKES MONEY AND IT TAKES TIME.

IT'S NOT A MAGIC W A AND THAT YOU CAN WAVE AND SAY, YOU HAVE IT NOW.

BROAD BAND.

>> I HOPE WE CAN MAKE THE MONEY PART BE LESS.

>> PEOPLE ARE LEARNING TO BE PATIENT.

>> THAT TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING DAILY.

AND SO THE THINKING A FEW YEARS AGO OF GETTING FIBER TO THE HOME IS NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DONE NOW.

BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE CONTINUING TO DEVELOP.

THAT ARE MUCH LOWER COST TO DEPLOY, WHETHER IT'S THE STATE HELPING OR WHETHER IT'S A COMPANY THAT IS IN THAT BUSINESS.

AND IT MAKES IT A BIT EASIER TO GET IT OUT THERE.

TRULY EVERY WEEK THAT GOES BY, THERE'S SOMETHING CHANGING IN THAT TECHNOLOGY TOO.

>> OKAY.

LET'S SWITCH GEARS TO TALK ABOUT THE LARGEST SINGULAR EXPENSE IN THE BUDGET.

AND THAT IS K-12 EDUCATION.

IN THE AMENDED BUDGET THE CARES ACT PROVIDES A SALARY BONUS OF A THOUSAND DOLLARS, STATE WORKERS GET THE MONEY TOO.

IS IT A REALIZATION THAT THESE ARE FRONT LINE WORKERS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US AND THAT'S WHY THEY SHOULD RECEIVE THAT MONEY?

>> WELL, ARE REMEMBER IT WAS IN THE HOUSE'S BUDGET WHEN WE HIT THE PANDEMIC THE FIRST TIME.

A LOT OF IT IS TO GO BACK AND MEETITY WHAT WE KNEW WAS A PRIORITY FOR THE HOUSE.

IT'S BEEN SHOWN TO BE A PRIORITY FOR THE GOVERNOR.

HE HAS EVEN HIGHER GOAL FORCE WHAT WE CAN DO FOR TEACHERS GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.

SO, IT'S MEETING THAT NEED AND REALIING THAT IT COST US A LOT IN TURNOVER.

WE ARE SPENDSING THE MONEY IN EDUCATION, AND WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT OTHER AREAS AS WELL, IF THE STATE IS SPENDING MORE MONEY IN TRAINING, WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT SPENDING ON PAY.

>> AND WE COME TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH TEACHERS DO DURING THIS QUARANTINE AND PANDEMIC.

>> YES, I MEAN, THE TEACHERS, I WAS AMAZED AT -- I HAD LITERALLY HAD A CONVERSATION TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE SHUT DOWN OF EVERYTHING ABOUT WHAT DO YOU THINK THE TIMEFRAME IS FOR BEING ABLE TO DO VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION AND JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SPITBALLING AND THINKING OF THE FUTURE AND THE CONVERSATIONS AT THAT TIME, LITERALLY TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE SHUT DOWN WERE, WE ARE STILL PROBABLY 2-3 YEARS OUT BEFORE THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WILL WORK AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL AND 2-3 WEEKS IN TO THE SHUTDOWN ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE SEE OUR TEACHERS PIVOT AND OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS PIVOT TO GO TO VIRTUAL TEACHING AND TRYING TO KEEP THE TEACHERS SAFE, THE PARENTS SAFE, THE CHILDREN SAFE.

AND SO, WE SAW THAT HAPPEN, AND THEN WE SAW, YOU KNOW, OUR STATE WORKERS, OUR FRONT LINE FOLKS.

THE FOLKS WITH D.O.T., THE FOLKS WITH PUBLIC HEALTH.

THAT WERE OUT THERE DOING THE TESTING.

AND D.O.T.

FOLKS THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THE RESTROOMS CLEAN IN REST AREAS AND HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT THEY WERE RUNARE -- WERE RUNNING IN TO.

BUT THE THOUSAND DOLLARS BONUS, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT WAS RECOGNITION, WE KNOW THE LEVEL OF FEAR BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC WAS GREATER THAN YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED.

AND WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE IT, THAT WE APPRECIATE THAT YOU LEFT YOUR FAMILIES AND POSSIBLY ENDANGERED YOUR FAMILIES TO GET THROUGH ALL THIS.

>> THE BUDGETS WITH THE BUDGET, THE AMENDED BUDGET.

THE SCHOOL BUSES, WE ARE -- THE WHOLE LIFE CYCLE.

WE ARE DOING THE BUSES COMING IN.

NEW BUSES.

WELL, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SEE THE FLEET MOVING.

I THINK THEY ARE GOING TO MOVE COMPLETELY.

THE 520 BUSES WILL SPECIFICALLY BE TIED -- IT'S HEALTHIER ON THE STUDENTS.

THE BUSES ARE NOWHERE NEAR, GASOLINE BURNING BUS.

YOU ARE DEALING WITH THE MECHANICS OF THE VEHICLE ARE LONGER THAN THE TRADITIONAL FUELS, THE DIESEL FUELS AND GASOLINE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET IN PARTICULAR.

THE 2022 BUDGET, IT CALLS FOR A LITTLE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS OF THE STATE'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET LAST YEAR WE HAD THAT CUT OF ABOUT 950 MILLION DOLLARS.

>> WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT THINGS AND REALIZING THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY OF WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS AND HOW THEY ARE LOOKING.

THERE'S ALSO THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT ARE COMING IN.

THAT WILL OFFSET IT AND WE WILL OFFSET.

THE AMENDED BUDGET, PLUS MORE THAN $11 MILLION IN FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT WENT TO SCHOOL SYSTEMS LAST YEAR, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ACTUALLY GOT AHEAD OF WHERE QVE HAD FUNDED IT, $20-30 MILLION AHEAD.

LOOKING IN TO THE 22 BUDGET.

$565 MILLION BUT NOW KEEP WORKING $4-5 BILLION IN FEDERAL MONEY THAT WILL BE FLOWING DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOL SYSTE.

SO IF I CAN TAKE A CUT AND KNOW THAT I'M GOING GET SOMETHING A LOT BETTER.

I WILL TAKE THAT DEAL EVERY DAY.

I'M BEING SHORTED, WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF WHAT REVENUES ARE LOOKING LIKE ON THE HORIZON.

AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE US WORRIED.

>> LET'S THINK OF SOMETHING THAT IS MAJOR IN EDUCATION, THE TEACHER RETIREMENT SYSTEM, YOU ARE DOING A LITTLE BIT WITH THAT.

HOW WILL SCHOOL SYSTEMS ACCEPT WHAT YOU ARE PLANNING TO DO?

$58 MILLION?

>> THE TEACHER RETIREMENT SYSTEM, THEY WILL BE FINE WITH THAT.

WE FUND IT AND KEEP IT HEALTHILY FUNDED, IT IS ON TOP OF THE EMPLOYER MATCH THAT WE ARE PAYING ALSO.

IT'S A GOOD CHUNK OF CHANGE.

IT'S BASED WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE MARKETS.

SO, SOME OF THE HIGHEST PAID PEOPLE IN STATE GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY, THEY, THE HIGHEST PAID PEOPLE IN STATE GOVERNMENT ARE THE FOLKS THAT RUN OUR TABLES AND INVESTMENTS FOR TRS.

SO, IF THEY ARE THE DOING WELL, AND RIGHT NOW THE STOCK MARKET AND OTHER INVESTMENTS HAVE DONE WELL, THE STATE DOESN'T HAVE TO PUT AS MUCH AFTER ITS LOCAL, AFTER ITS EMPLOYER MATCH AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE YEARS.

WE HAVE BEEN AT YEARS WHERE WE PUT LESS, WE HAVE BEEN AT YEARS WHERE WE HAD TO PUT MORE.

RIGHT NOW, IT'S KIND OF AVERAGE.

IT'S NOT ANYTHING CHANGED, BUT IT NOT BEING SHORTED IN ANY WAY.

>> ONE THING I HAD TO ASK AND FORGOT TO ASK.

THE ENROLLMENT IS DOWN.

HOW DOES THAT AFFECT EVERYTHING?

>> I THINK STATEWIDE, WE ARE LOOKING AT 37,000 LESS STUDENTS THAN THIS TIME LAST YEAR.

IT DOES AFFECT SCHOOL SYSTEMS THROUGH THE QB FORMULA, THE QUALITY BASIC EDUCATION FUNDING FORMULA.

HOWEVER, IT ALSO RIGHTS ITSELF ONCE WE GET TO THE AMENDED BUDGET.

SO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THOSE NUMBERS TODAY.

WE WILL BE BACK NEXT JANUARY, AND START LOOKING AT THE AMENDED BUDGET.

SO THERE'S TWO STUDENT COUNTS EVERY YEAR.

ONE IN FALL AND ONE IN THE EARLIER PART OF THE YEAR.

SO WE WILL WITH LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS AND WHAT THOSE ADJUSTMENTS ARE WHEN WE COME BACK IN THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR AND WE WILL ADJUST FOR WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR WHAT THE ACTUALS WILL BE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS THAT HAVE, MAY HAVE SEEN A HUGE DROP THIS YEAR.

BUT MAY SHOW BACK UP NEXT FALL.

SO, THEY WILL, ALL OF THAT KIND OF WORKS OUT THE WAY THE FUNDING FORMULA WORKS THERE.

>> YEAH, WE STILL HAVE TO SEE WHETHER SOME PEOPLE WILL OR THE ENROLLMENT IS DOWN BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND ONCE EVERYONE STARTS GOING BACK, WHETHER THEY WILL COME BACK.

OKAY, SO THAT IS EDUCATION FOR NOW.

WE WILL TAKE A BREAK AND COME BACK WITH MORE ON THE BUDGET IN THIS LONG -- ONE HOUR LONG, I SHOULD SAY, SPECIAL.

YOU ARE WATCHING "LAWMAKERS" ON GPB.

>>> WELCOME BACK TO LAWMAKERS ON THE SPECIAL HOUR LONG BUDGET SHOW.

WITH ME ARE HOUSE APPROPRIATION'S CHAIRMAN TERRY ENGLAND AND BLAKE TIL ERY.

LET'S SPEND TIME ON AN OVERALL LOOK AT THE BUDGET.

LET'S PUT THINGS UP ON THE SCREEN THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT.

WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM?

PERSONAL INCOME TAX 47%, CORPORATE INCOME TAX -- AND STATE SALES TAX 24%.

THE LOTTERY 5% AND THEN THE OTHER FEES AND ALL.

14%.

LET'S START WITH WHAT THAT MIGHT ENTAIL AT THIS POINT.

CHAIRMAN ENGLAND?

>> THE OTHER FEES?

>> YEAH, WHAT IS ALL OF THAT?

>> IT CAN BE ANYTHING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF AG INSPECTION FEES WHERE THEY GO OUT AND HAVING BEEN IN THE FARM SUPPLY BUSINESS, WE HAD TO HAVE OUR SCALES SUSPECT INSPECTED, PLANTS INSPECTED, SEED INSPECTED, FERTILIZER INSPECTED, THOSE KIND OF THINGS YOU PAY A FEE FOR CONSUMER PROTECTION.

SO, A LARGE PORTION OF WHAT YOU SEE THERE OR JUST NOT THOSE FEES BUT BUSINESS LICENSES THAT YOU GET THROUGH THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE, OTHER BUSINESS THAT YOU DO WITH THE STATE THAT ARE KIND OF TRANSACTIONAL BASED FUNCTIONS I GUESS FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD.

BUT IT IS A REVENUE STREAM TO THE STATE THAT ALL THE DOLLARS HAVE TO COME TO THE GENERAL FUND SO THEN THEY ARE APPROPRIATED BACK OUT TO THE AGENCY TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THAT FUNCTION.

HAVE THE NUMBERS CHANGED IN THE PANDEMIC?

>> I TELL YOU THE PERSONAL INCOME TAX IS UP OVERALL.

THAT IS WHY THE GEORGIA REVENUES HAVE BEEN STRONG.

SELF TAX IS NOT THAT BAD EITHER.

>> THERE'S A DOWN SIDE, TALK ABOUT WHAT WE SEE IN THE FUTURE.

WE SEE MONEY COMING IN.

IT LOOKS GOOD NOW, BUT WE WILL SEE IT GO AWAY.

>> DOWN SIDE IS MORE OF AN APPREHENSION, THING THAT WORRIES ME WE BROUGHT IN A LOT OF EXTRA DOLLARS BECAUSE OF PERSONAL INCOME TAX ON UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

WE KNOW THE NUMBER IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 500 AND 800 MILLION.

AND REMEMBER, A BILLION INCREASE ON THAT S SO, IF THAT GOES OUT THE DOOR ON RETURNS KNOWING THAT 90% OF THE PEOPLE WHO RECEIVED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS MADE LESS THAN $30,000 A YEAR THE YEAR BEFORE, THEN WE COULD REALLY BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE ARE NOT NEARLY AS STRONG AS FOLKS MAY HAD THINK WE ARE AT THIS MINUTE.

>> SO WE HAVE TO KEEP IT IN MIND.

LET'S LOOK AT WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING A BIT.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT EARLIER THAT 53%, THE BIGGEST CHUNK GOES TO EDUCATION.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, 24%, PUBLIC SAFETY, 7% IN TRANSPORTATION THE SAME.

AND THEN, THE OTHER THAT 9%, I WANT TO ASK YOU WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

>> THE OTHER IN THAT CATEGORY, ONE OF THOSE, PART OF THAT GOES TO DEBT SERVICE.

SO WE CANNOT BRAUR MONEY TO -- SO SCHOOL BUILDINGS, UNIVERSITY BUILDINGS.

TECHNICAL COLLEGE BUILDINGS, ROADS AND BRIDGES, THOSE HARD ASSETS THAT YOU CAN TOUCH AND FEEL.

AS FAR AS OPERATING THE EVERY DAY OPERATING EXPENSES, THE LIGHTS, THE PEOPLE, ALL OF THAT, CANNOT BE BORROWED.

SO, A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK WE BORROW A LOT OF MONEY AND WE DO BORROW SUBSTANTIAL SUMS BUT AT THE SAME TIME, GEORGIA, CARRIES, IS ONE OF THE FEW STATES THAT THROUGH THE GREAT RECESSION, AND CONTINUING ON NOW, CARRIES A AAA BOND RATING.

WE CARRIED IT 20 PLUS YEARS.

SO PART OF THAT NUMBER IS DEBT SERVICE.

BUT PART OF THE NUMBER IS BASICALLY 38 OR 39 OTHER STATE AGENCIES THAT KIND OF FALL IN HAD THE CATEGORY, YOU COULD DO AWAY WITH ALL OF THOSE, AND THE NUMBERS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO SAVE IS JUST A FRACTION OF WHAT THE ENTIRE STATE BUDGET IS.

BECAUSE K-12 EDUCATION AND HIGHER ED TAKES UP SO MUCH, AND HEALTH CARE TAKES UP SO MUCH AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

I HAVE A SLIDE THAT I USE IN A PRESENTATION QUITE OFTEN THAT SHOWS THE TOP TIER THAT 90% AND THEN YOU SHOW THE OTHER 39 AND YOU COULD DO AWAY WITH ALL THOSE AND YOU HAD WILL SAVE $2 BILLION.

>> SO, IT, IT HELPS PEOPLE GET THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE VALUE EDUCATION IN THE STATE, STRONGLY.

AND WE VALUE HEALTH CARE IN THE STATE, STRONGLY.

AND WE VALUE PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE STATE, VERY STRONGLY AS WELL.

>> LET'S HELP VIEWERS UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET PROCESS A BIT.

SO, THE GOVERNOR SETS THE REVENUE ESTIMATE.

AND EXPLAIN WHY THAT IS SO CRITICAL TO THE PROCESS.

>> THAT'S A TOTAL AMOUNT OF MONEY HE CAN SPEND.

>> HE SETS IT.

HE SETS THAT.

>> THAT'S THE TOP AND THEN THE APPROPRIATION'S PROCESS STARTS FROM THERE.

THE HOUSE WILL START WITH THE BILL.

IT WILL ALWAYS BE SPONSORED BY THE SPEAKER AND CARRIED BY CHAIRMAN ENGLAND AND THEY WILL PASS THEIR BILL OUT, IT COMES TO THE SENATE FOR OUR PROCESS, AND WE ARE IN THAT RIGHT NOW.

IT TAKES 16-18 DAYS FOR THE SENATE TO WORK THROUGH THE BUDGET AND THAT'S ALL OF OUR SUBCOMMITTEES AND, ROUGHLY NINE SUBCOMMITTEES AND AFTER WE PASS OUR VERSION, THERE'S USUALLY A COUPLE OF DIFFERENCES.

WE DON'T AGREE ON EVERYTHING AND IT WILL ROLL IN TO CONFERENCE WHICH IS WHAT SCOTT SLADE WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH CHAIRMAN HILL AND ENGLAND ON THE CLIP WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.

>> WHAT I LOVE, THEY COUNT THE NUMBER OF BOTTLES OF WATER YOU HAVE WHEN YOU GET READY TO PRESENT AND THAT TELLS THEM HOW LONG YOU ARE GOING TO BE UP THERE AND TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET.

>> IT TELLS THEM HOW LONG THEY HAVE TO SIT THERE AND LISTEN TO ME DRONE ON.

YOU KNOW, IT, YOU GET UP AND ONE OF MY WORST FEARS ISPUBLIC SPEAKING IS GETTING UP THERE WILL AND GETTING COTTON MOUTH OR A COUGH.

SO I ALWAYS HAVE THAT SITTING THERE.

WE MAKE A LOT OF JOKES ABOUT IT.

IT DOES -- THE WAY OUR PROCESS IS IN THE HOUSE, WE LITERALLY WALK THROUGH ALL OF THE CHANGES FROM THE GOVERNOR'S.

AND IT DOES TAKE TIME.

IT TAKES AN HOUR, HOUR AND A HALF TO GET THROUGH THAT.

AND CHAIRMANTILLERY SEES HOW MUCH WATER I DRINK SO IT'S NATURAL THAT I HAVE IT THERE.

>> WHAT CHANGES GETS MADE AFTER THE PROCESS IS START INSIDE.

>> IT'S LIKE WATCHING A MOVIE.

AND AS WE VOTE ON IT IN THE HOUSE.

YOU FREEZE FRAME FOR JUST ONE SECOND.

IT GOES TO THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE AND YOU FREEZE FRAME AGAIN.

DURING THAT TIME IN THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE, THERE'S QUITE OFTEN TIMES THAT THINGS HAVE CHANGED OTHER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED AND AS ONE OF OUR FORMER, ONE OF MY FORMER COLLEAGUES WOULD SAY, LATER DATER.

LATER INFORMATION COMING IN TO THE PICTURE AND THOSE LAST MINUTE CHANGES HAVE TO BE MADE.

A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE GOT IN THE CONFERENCE, WE WERE INVOLVED IN THAT TIME AS WELL TO KIND OF HELP US GET TO THE END OF THE DRILL SO TO SPEAK.

>> OKAY.

>> WE CAN TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE FROM THIS YEAR.

LIKE, IF YOU LOOK AT WHEN THE HOUSE PASSED THE BUDGET, THEY WERE NOT EXPECTING THAT WE WERE GOING HAVE TO TAKE $2.2 BILLION OUT WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR THE SENATE.

AND THEN THIS YEAR, YOU HAVE THE ISSUE WITH THE AMERICAN RECOVERY PLAN DID NOT PASS UNTIL THE HOUSE PASSED THE BUDGET.

SO WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW IS TRYING TO WORK THE NUMBERS IN.

FIGURE OUT HOW THEY AFFECT STATE DOLLARS.

SO OUR BUDGET WILL PROBABLY LOOK QUITE A BIT DIFFERENT AS WE ARE ABLE TO ROLL IT OUT.

>> WHEN WE SEE IT MAYBE NEXT WEEK -- >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

IF WE KEEP TO THE 16-18 DAYTIMELINE IT'S THE MIDDLE TO END OF NEXT WEEK.

>> WE ARE RETURNING OUT OF THE TIME.

SO YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF -- ARE YOU GETTING ANY SLEEP?

>> TEXT MESSAGES ARE COMING IN NOW ABOUT IT.

>> I BET THERE ARE.

>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ASK ABOUT AND THAT'S THE RAINY DAY FUND.

HERE'S A LOOK AT IT RIGHT THERE.

YOU KNOW, 2018, 2.5.

2019, $2.8 BILLION.

BUT 2020 WENT DOWN BECAUSE MONEY WAS TAKEN OUT BECAUSE OF THE CORONAVIRUS.

EXPLAIN HOW MUCH MONEY WAS TAKEN OUT AND WHY MORE WAS NOT DONE?

>> WELL, I THINK IN THE 2020 WE USED ABOUT $100 MILLION OUT OF IT AND IN THE 21 AS WE PASSED IT LAST JUNE, I THINK THERE WAS $250 MILLION PULLED OUT OF IT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS TO BE REMEMBERED TOO, UNDER STATE LAW, 4% HAS TO REMAIN, THAT YOU CANNOT APPROPRIATE.

4% OF PRIOR YEAR REVENUES HAS TO REMAIN THERE.

1% OF PRIOR YEAR REVENUES FOR THE MID TERM EDUCATIONAL ADJUSTMENT HAS TO REMAIN THERE.

YOU ARE LOOKING AT $1.2 BILLION THAT HAS TO STAY THERE THAT YOU CANNOT APPROPRIATE OUT OF.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT COIN IS THAT ONCE WE PASS A BUDGET, WE ARE COUNTING ON THAT REVENUE ESTIMATE THAT YOU MENTIONED THE GOVERNOR'S SETTING THAT IT WILL BE WHAT IT IS.

WE HAVE GREAT ECONOMISTS IN THE STATE THAT LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND MAKE PREDICTIONS.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S A PREDICTION.

SO ONCE YOU GET IN THE BUDGET YEAR, AND IFTHE REVENUE STARTS COMING UP SHORT, THE GOVERNOR HAS TO GO IN TO MAKE UP THE GAP.

SO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NUMBER ONE, YOU HAVE TO 4 AND THE 1 SET ASIDE AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH THERE THAT IF THE GOVERNOR WERE TO HAVE TO GO IN BECAUSE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 53% IN YOUR SLIDE SHOWED THAT WENT TO EDUCATION.

THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

IT'S OVER $10 BILLION GOING TO THAT POT ALONE.

WELL IF YOU WIND UP COMING UP SHORT THERE, YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT RAINY DAY FUND SITTING THERE TO BE ABLE TO BACK FILL.

>> OKAY, I WANT TO GO TO TRANSPORTATION QUICK.

THERE'S ONE THING THAT I FOUND INTERESTING IN THE BUDGET WHEN I AM CAME TO TRANSPORTATION.

LAST YEAR, BEFORE WE EVERYTHING ENDED WE HAD THE RIDE SHARE FEE BILL THAT PASSED.

IT CAME IN TO LAW.

PEOPLE ARE PAYING THE FEES AND NOW, THAT MONEY IS HELPING WITH TRANSIT FUNDS ACROSS THE STATE.

EVERYTHING FROM THE BANK HEAD STATION WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO PUT THE MICROSOFT, THEY ARE GOING TO PUT A CAMPUS IN THERE IN NORTHWEST ATLANTA TO MARTA, WHAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING, WITH THE FEES, IS REALLY PAYING OFF IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN DO IN TRANSIT NOW.

>> EXACTLY.

EXACTLY.

THAT WAS THE BASIS OF THE, OF THAT PARTICULAR BILL WAS THAT IT WOULD BE USED FOR TRANSIT AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING.

>> YEAH, OKAY, SO, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MEDICAID AND WHAT I WILL DO IS SHOW A DWRASK,S THAT GRAPHIC FROM THE GEORGIA BUDGET AND POLICY INSTITUTE AND IT HAS THIS ANALYSIS.

I WANT TO STRESS THAT.

IT'S THE GGRAPHIC.

THE STATE'S ENROLLMENT.

2400 UNDER THE STATE'S WAIVER WITHOUT WORK REQUIREMENT.

THE FIRST IS WITH WORK REQUIREMENT, THE SECOND WITHOUT WORK REQUIREMENT, SAME AMOUNT PER ENROLLEE, BUT UP TO $269,000 AND THEN, UNDER FULL EXPANSION OF MEDICAID, NEARLY 482,000 PEOPLE ENROLLED AND THE NUMBER PER ENROLLEE, $496.

I WOULD LIKE TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT.

CHAIRMAN TILLERY?

>> WE SAW THE MEDICARE ROLLS CLIMB SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC.

THE FIRST OF THE CARES ACT WAS MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.

IF YOU WERE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE, EVEN IF YOU WERE INELIGIBLE LATER ON, IT CAN COULD BE THAT YOU FOUND WORK OR YOUR HEALTH CONDITIONS CHANGED OR IF YOU WERE A PREGNANT MOTHER AT THE TIME, AND YOU THEN GAVE BIRTH AND YOU HAVE UNDER OUR STATUTE RIGHT NOW, SIX MONTHS, POST PARTUM CARE, YOU ARE ON CONTINUED MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.

SO, I'M INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THE NUMBERS WOULD CHANGE IF YOU TOOK AND OVERLAID THEM WITH THE MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT NUMBERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY, THAT WERE BEING PAID FOR IN GEORGIA.

>> $2 BILLION, IT'S QUITE A CARROT THAT THEY ARE PUTTING OUT THERE TO EXPAND MEDICAID IN GEORGIA.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT?

IS IT $2 BILLION NOW OR YOU DON'T KNOW IF THAT MONEY, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN IT AFTERWARDS?

>> I MENTIONED EARLIER, I THINK TALKING ABOUT THE CAPITOL PROJECTS VERSE DOING, STARTING PROGRAMS AND THIS, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE INSTANCES WHERE YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT YOUR ONGOING EXPENSE IS.

ONCE WITH YOU ARE PAST THE 2 YEAR WINDOW, WHERE IT'S 100% REIMBURSEMENT, WHAT IS IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE?

DOES IT DROP BACK TO A 70/30 LIKE CURRENT MEDICAID IS?

YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO EDGE A BIT THERE.

AND MAKE SURE HAD THAT IT, IF YOU TAKE THAT STEP, THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT AND SUSTAIN IT IN THE LONG RUN.

>> YEAH, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A FEW OTHER THINGS AND ONE OF THEM HAS TO DO WITH THE ELECTIONS BILL THAT WE HAVE BEEN SEEING.

CHAIRMAN ENGLAND, WHEN SPEAKER DAVID ROLLSTON, AND THEY TALK ABOUT I.D.s FOR VOTING AND THEY CAN USE THEM FORGETTING ON AN AIRPLANE AND OTHER THINGS.

WHAT IS THE PROCESS LIKE IN THE BUDGET?

>> AS WE WERE WORKING THROUGH THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE ELECTION BILL.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE LOOKING AT IS MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS ADEQUATE ACCESS, VERY EASY ACCESS TO GET A I.D.

TO BE ABLE TO USE IN VOTING.

CURRENTLY THERE'S ONE THAT IS OFFERED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE AND THE COUNTY EELECTIONS OFFICE.

THAT IS FREE TO AN INDIVIDUAL, BUT IT'S ONLY USEABLE FOR VOTING.

THE ONE THAT IS USED THROUGH DDS, I THINK IT'S $32 FOR SOMEONE TO GET THAT.

TYPICALLY IF SOMEBODY IS SAYING THEY ARE USING IT FOR VOTING THEY GIVE IT TO THEM FREE.

WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE AND YOU KNOW, MOST FOLKS COMING TO GET THE I.D.

IS USING IT FOR VOTING WE WILL PROVIDE IT FOR YOU GOING FORWARD.

>> OKAY.

I HEARD SCOTT SLADE SAID, AN HOUR WAS NOT ENOUGH AND IT'S TRUE.

WE ARE ALREADY AT THE END.

BUT I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE HAD HARD WORKING STAFF AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO THANK THEM SO, GO AHEAD.

>> THE SENATE BUDGET PROCESS WOULD NOT WORK WITHOUT MELODY DEBUSSEY AND BRENT CHURCHWELL, AND AUSTIN, KEITH, NATALIE, AND OUR SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRS.

STATE BUDGET IS NOT ABOUT THE STATE APPROPRIATION'S CHAIRMAN, IT'S ABOUT THE GEORGIANS IS, I WANT THE PEOPLE TO KNOW, THERE'S 56 SENATORS THAT ARE DAILY BEATING DOWN OUR DOORS TO ASK FOR THINGS THAT MATTER TO YOU.

AND THANK YOUFOR ALLOWING US TO SERVE AND THEY ARE DEFINITELY FIGHTING ON YOUR BEHALF.

>> OKAY.

>> WELL, CHAIRMAN ENGLAND.

>> DITTO, WE GOT -- I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO TRY TO NAME ALL THE NAMES BECAUSE WE HAVE QUITE A FEW INDIVIDUALS THERE IN THE OFFICE THAT WORK ON THE BUDGET 365 DAY AS YEAR.

A LOT OF FOLKS THINK WE COME UP FOR THREE MONTHS.

BECAUSE OF ALL THE TIME WE HAVE ON IT.

NOT ONLY IN THE HOUSE BUDGET AND RESEARCH OFFICE, THEY ARE WORKING ON THIS DOCUMENT, 365 DAYS A YEAR.

AND WE HAVE GOT -- >> UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE TO GO.

WE COULD NOT GET ALL THE NAMES IN.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT ON THIS SPECIAL 1 HOUR BUDGET SHOW.

JOIN US TOMORROW, LEGISLATIVE DAY 33.

BYE-BYE.