Governor Brian P. Kemp has signed House Bill 973, the Amended Budget for Fiscal Year 2026, in Atlanta. The signing event included First Lady Marty Kemp, Lt. Governor Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, legislative leaders, and other state officials.
In his remarks at the signing ceremony, Governor Kemp thanked colleagues and staff for their work on the budget process. He said: “Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us to help provide more tax relief to hardworking Georgians today, among other great measures included in this budget.
I’m proud to be here today with the nation’s best First Lady, Marty Kemp!
And we’re both grateful for the people beside and behind me who overwhelmingly supported the passage of this budget.
Lt. Governor Burt Jones… Speaker Jon Burns… Chairmen Blake Tillery and Matt Hatchett… as well as all those on the steps behind us… thank you for the time and work that went into this budget that delivers for Georgia’s taxpayers.
We’re also glad to be joined by the Constitutional Officers here with us today…
And finally, I want to thank OPB Director Rick Dunn and his team, as well as my chief of staff Lauren Curry, for all the time and hard work they put into the budget process each year.
OPB and my team put in literally months of careful work, attention, and consideration into every line of our budgets… and the discussions and negotiations that lead up to this moment involve countless hours over long weekends and late nights.
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The amended budget I’ll sign today delivers meaningful relief to the people of Georgia while also making key investments that will drive our state’s success for years to come.
I want to stress that while the document on that table amounts to a large sum… much of those funds are one-time spends and do not add long-term liabilities to the state that our children and grandchildren would have to pay back.
In fact, Georgia now has the lowest debt-to-revenue ratio since the state began issuing bonds in the 1970s… and enough money in our rainy day fund to keep state government working for nearly three months without any additional funds.
We’re able to make wise use of these funds today and make generational investments in our state because of our conservative approach to budgeting…
And because of the belief that guides us in crafting and negotiating these budgets: this isn’t the government’s money… it belongs to the people of Georgia!
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Lt. Governor Burt Jones stated: “I want to thank Governor Kemp for his leadership and steadfast commitment to ensuring Georgia remains fiscally sound. Because of his leadership, along with the work of Chairman Blake Tillery, the subcommittee Chairs, and all members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, this budget includes critical investments in middle-class families, mental health services, healthcare workforce development, transportation and Georgia’s Veterans community. This budget furthers our commitment to putting more than $2 billion in tax dollars back in Georgians’ pockets and investing in our education system, namely by increasing resources and pay for our school personnel. Our support for our law enforcement heroes remains unwavering and support for mental health services historic. I want to thank everyone for their work to ensure that Georgia remains the best place to live, work and raise a family.”
Speaker Jon Burns added: “This budget is more than just numbers on a page. It is a direct reflection of this General Assembly’s commitment to each of our neighbors in every corner of our great state. From returning nearly $2 billion directly back to hardworking taxpayers and homeowners and providing $2,000 pay supplements to state employees, to investing in healthcare, education, public safety and infrastructure—every Georgian can be proud of the investments we’re making today to create a better, brighter future for our state.”
Key elements within HB 973 include $2 billion allocated toward income tax relief as well as property tax reductions across Georgia. The spending plan provides significant funding increases aimed at education through a new needs-based DREAMS Scholarship program endowed with $325 million—the first such scholarship initiative in Georgia’s history—and further supports workforce development tools like Career Navigator programs.
Additional appropriations target public safety enhancements such as an extra $150 million earmarked for Department of Corrections bed space needs; over $9.7 million dedicated toward hiring corrections officers; funding a new K-9 training facility; plus $50 million intended specifically toward addressing homelessness throughout communities statewide including among veterans.
Mental healthcare expansion receives $409 million directed at designing and constructing a new regional hospital which will increase mental health bed capacity across Georgia.
Infrastructure investment comprises over $1.6 billion supporting extension projects on I-75 express lanes within Henry County; substantial allocations toward highway interchange upgrades; rural bridge rehabilitation efforts; along with local maintenance grants totaling hundreds of millions collectively benefiting transportation statewide.
Rural areas receive targeted support through site development grants ($15 million), natural gas infrastructure programs ($35 million), alongside innovation initiatives supporting timber industry growth ($8.9 million).
According to official sources, these actions reflect ongoing operations by Georgia’s executive branch based out of Atlanta’s Governor’s Mansion—a historic residence maintained since 1967—as part of broader governance functions serving residents’ daily lives across various sectors (see here).
The government continues its role providing oversight while fostering economic growth both domestically—with robust fiscal management highlighted by low debt ratios—and internationally through offices such as its representation established decades ago abroad (source).
