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Georgia House passes $5B state budget increase for teacher raises, infrastructure

Georgia House passes B state budget increase for teacher raises, infrastructure

Georgia’s House backed changes to the state budget Wednesday that would add $5 billion in spending, including a burst of roadbuilding, new dental and medical schools, and money to cover bonuses paid to state employees and teachers. “Five billion dollars. You can do a lot of good with $5 billion,” House Appropriations Committee Chair Matt Hatchett, a Dublin Republican, told House members. “Now, not every item in the budget is glamorous, but I can tell you it’s needed.” The House voted 161-2 to pass a bill that adds money to the current budget running through June 30. The bill now goes to the Senate for its own changes. GEORGIA BILL REQUIRING CASH BAIL FOR 30 CRIMES, INCLUDING MISDEMEANORS, HEADING TO GOVERNOR’S DESK Republican Gov. Brian Kemp proposed the boost, which would push spending of state money to $37.5 billion. Total spending, including federal aid, college tuition, fines and fees, would rise to $67.5 billion The state can spend lots more, even though growth in tax collections is slowing, because Kemp set a revenue estimate much lower than what the state will actually collect this year and because Georgia has $10.7 billion in surplus cash beyond its $5.4 billion rainy day fund. Kemp would spend up to $2 billion of the surplus. Because lawmakers can’t spend above Kemp’s revenue estimate, lawmakers can only cut or rearrange the governor’s proposed spending. In some cases, the House voted to add back projects that Kemp originally struck from this year’s budget, a move that provoked anger among lawmakers. Kemp has since allowed some of that spending to take place, and Hatchett said the House would continue to push for other items. “Please know, we aren’t done with the discussion,” Hatchett said. The governor before Christmas ordered $1,000 bonuses paid to state and university employees and public school teachers. The House plan includes $315 million to pay for the bonuses. Kemp has also proposes pay raised for employees beginning July 1, which lawmakers will finalize in March when they vote on next year’s budget. Kemp wants state and university employees to get a 4% cost-of-living increase across the board, while teachers would get a roughly equivalent $2,500-a-year increase. The House agreed to Kemp’s plan to spend $1.5 billion more to speed planned roadwork and establish a freight infrastructure program. But the House wants to spend $100 million more on road repaving to cover higher costs for asphalt and concrete. The House also boosted spending for airport aid. To pay for those changes, the panel cut Kemp’s proposed spending on freight infrastructure by $131 million to $510 million. The House would allocate Kemp’s proposed $200 million increase in road and bridge aid to cities and counties in a way that wouldn’t require local governments to match the money. The measure also includes $178 million for a new dental school at Georgia Southern University in Savannah and $50 million for a freestanding medical school at the University of Georgia. The House approved Kemp’s plans to spend $451 million to finish a new prison in Washington County and $135 million to repair other prisons. The budget also adds money to install technology to prevent inmates from using contraband cell phones. Also approved were $500 million to pay down debt in one of the state’s employee pension funds, $250 million to finance water and sewer work, and $200 million for grants and sites to attract industry.

Virginia Dems push to expand state-funded health insurance to illegal immigrant children

Virginia Dems push to expand state-funded health insurance to illegal immigrant children

Virginia Democrats are pushing to expand state-funded health insurance to illegal immigrant children with a critical committee vote scheduled for Thursday. The Senate bill, named the “Cover All Kids” Act by proponents, seeks to provide illegal immigrant children access to a “state-funded comprehensive health care coverage” program with eligibility requirements similar to the state’s Medicaid program. The bill specifically targets individuals in the commonwealth under 19 years of age who are not covered by a group health plan or insurance coverage. It includes the language, “but for their immigration status would be eligible for medical assistance services,” which would expand access to illegal immigrant children. BIDEN CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIR KNOCKS PRESIDENT AND OTHER DEMOCRATS OVER BORDER: ‘STRATEGIC MISTAKE’ “Because of President Biden’s open-border policy, every state is now a border state––including Virginia,” State Sen. Glen Sturtevant, a Republican, told Fox News Digital. “Meanwhile, Virginia Democrats in the General Assembly are making every effort to undermine legal immigration and incentivize illegal immigration into the commonwealth.” “This session, Virginia Democrats have introduced bills that directly incentivize illegal immigration,” Sturtevant said. “They want to grant illegal immigrants driver’s licenses that are valid for up to eight years. Now, they’re also working to divert limited resources from low-income Virginians to pay for healthcare for illegal immigrants. That will cost Virginia taxpayers more than $100 million just in this decade.” “These bad policies jeopardize not just Virginia’s healthcare system but create perverse incentives that illegal immigrants will see as a green light to travel to Virginia for free schooling, driver’s licenses, and now, free healthcare,” Sturtevant continued. “We have seen the mess that sanctuary city policies have created in places like Chicago and New York. We must protect the rule of law in Virginia and ensure that Virginia citizens come first.” MIGRANT CRISIS BROKE NEW RECORD IN DECEMBER WITH 302K ENCOUNTERS, OFFICIALS CONFIRM The “Cover All Kids” legislation would expand coverage to uninsured illegal immigrant children in Virginia who are part of families at 205% of the federal poverty level. The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, which supports the legislation, estimated this to be $50,963 for a family of three. The bill’s advocates say that twelve other states – California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and Washington – and Washington, D.C., similarly use or plan on using state funds to cover illegal immigrant children and Virginia should follow in their footsteps. They also argue that children under Medicaid fare better in life. “Every child throughout the Commonwealth, regardless of income, immigration status, and background should have access to quality, comprehensive healthcare,” Virginia state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, a Democrat, said of the effort. “We know that a healthy childhood leads to better health, education, and economic outcomes for children and their families.” “With the Cover All Kids Act, we are sending a strong message that Virginia will invest in the future of each and every child,” she added. The bill is up for a key committee vote in Virginia’s General Assembly on Thursday. 

Filmmakers in Georgia should do more to earn tax breaks, lawmakers say

Filmmakers in Georgia should do more to earn tax breaks, lawmakers say

Top Georgia lawmakers say moviemakers should be required to do more than just show a peach at the end of the credits to get the top benefit from Georgia’s lucrative film tax credit. Thanks in large part to tax breaks, productions including “The Hunger Games,” the Marvel movies, the Fast & Furious installment “Furious 7” and many others shot in Georgia have made the Peach State a hub for movies and television shows that might otherwise have been shot in Hollywood in an earlier era. The program has supported thousands of Georgia jobs and the creation of several thriving studios. In a news conference Wednesday, legislative leaders said they want companies to meet four of nine goals to receive the top 30% credit on Georgia income taxes. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Shaw Blackmon said that would include things such as shooting in rural Georgia, hiring more Georgia workers and supporting production studios in the state. MARVEL STUDIOS’ CREW MEMBER DIES AFTER ON SET ACCIDENT OF ‘WONDER MAN’ SERIES “We’re certainly not limiting the credit at all,” Blackmon, a Bonaire Republican, told reporters after the news conference. “I think what we’re trying to do is provide more value and a better return on investment for the taxpayers and sustain the credits at the same time, so that industry has an opportunity to continue to thrive.” That’s the biggest announcement to come out a monthslong review of all the tax breaks that Georgia offers to various industries. Lawmakers also said Wednesday that they want to at least temporarily suspend a sales tax exemption on equipment offered to data centers. So many data centers are opening or expanding in the state that it’s causing a notable drain on the power grid, leading Georgia Power Co. to say it quickly needs to build or contract for new electrical generation capacity. The announcements are a relatively modest outcome of the review, which Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones touts as a way to shore up tax revenue so that Georgia could further cut its income tax rate for all residents and businesses. “The only way to do that is by assessing all the tax credits and incentives that are out there right now, adjust some of them, eliminate others,” Jones said “And that’s what we’re working on.” Jones and others said reviews would continue. There had been talk of capping the number of film tax credits Georgia would issue in a year — the state is projected to give out $1.35 billion in credits this year alone, and is one of six states without a cap. But industry groups lined up at hearings over the summer to defend the breaks as spurring economic activity, and House lawmakers have been more likely to defend the tax breaks. The film tax credit has spurred a big increase in movies and TV shows made in Georgia, but state-sponsored evaluations show the credit’s cost outweighs its economic benefit. A study last year by Georgia State University suggested the state saw a return of less than 20 cents on the dollar. Any production company can claim credits once they spend $500,000 on films, television shows, commercials or music videos distributed outside the state. Credits start at 20% of production spending, but rise to 30% if a movie or television show displays Georgia’s peach logo. The bill would raise this threshold to $1 million. The credits can only be used to reduce outstanding state income taxes owed, and can’t be redeemed for cash. However, the credits are transferrable — production companies can sell them to any individual or business with state income tax liability. In 2022, the state auditor estimated $1.4 billion in such taxes were outstanding. Some lawmakers fear there could be an unexpected spike in redemptions, hurting state revenue. So Blackmon said lawmakers want to limit redemption of transferred credits to 2.5% of the previous year’s state revenue, or about $900 million currently. House Speaker Jon Burns said the primary reason for suspending Georgia’s sales tax exemption on equipment used in data centers is because of concerns about electricity use. Georgia Power testified in regulatory hearings last month that 80% of a forecast jump in electricity demand would come from data centers. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution found at least 18 data centers are being developed or expanded in Georgia. “These centers currently are using a disproportionate amount of our state’s energy,” said Burns, a Newington Republican. “We have to make sure that we balance that and we have resources available.” The data centers tax credit is projected to cost the state $44 million in foregone sales tax revenue this year, according to a 2022 University of Georgia study. However, that same study showed that data centers were an overall economic boon to Georgia. Blackmon said that if lawmakers allow the state to resume giving sales tax exemptions, lawmakers want to require the relatively few employees of such data centers to make double the state’s average wage, up from 110% now.

Nikki Haley reads ‘mean tweets’ from online users, Trump in parody video: ‘Everybody hates you’

Nikki Haley reads ‘mean tweets’ from online users, Trump in parody video: ‘Everybody hates you’

Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley dropped a parody video reading “mean tweets” posted online about her campaign, including messages from GOP opponent former President Donald Trump. In a parody video, similar to that of the popular “Celebrities Read Mean Tweets” late night segment, Haley attempts to quash online hate by reading it aloud. From “everybody hates you” to “I’m genuinely terrified of Nikki Haley,” a video obtained by Fox News Digital shows the former South Carolina Governor laughing off negative messages she receives online. Haley then took the opportunity to read messages out loud from her Republican opponent, whom she has exchanged fire with online throughout her campaign. HALEY SAYS ‘WE DIDN’T EVEN COUNT’ NEVADA AFTER LOSING PRIMARY WITHOUT TRUMP ON BALLOT: CALLS CAUCUS ‘RIGGED’ “Nikki Birdbrain Haley is losing big in the polls against Crooked Joe,” the post from Trump read, to which Haley responded “Where? I haven’t seen it.” TRUMP CHALLENGES BIDEN TO A DEBATE ‘IMMEDIATELY’ AHEAD OF NOVEMBER Another online message from Trump claimed Haley is “weak” on the border issue, to which she asked “why did you let 3 million illegals come into the country under your watch?” Haley’s campaign said that the Republican candidate is silencing out the haters because “Americans are tired of the endless chaos and division.” “Politics isn’t personal for Nikki Haley like it is for Donald Trump. While Trump and his allies are obsessed with vengeance and name-calling, Nikki knows Americans are tired of the endless chaos and division,” Olivia Perez-Cubas, Haley national spokesperson, wrote in a press release shared with Fox News Digital. “Nikki’s not focused on petty grievances. She’s focused on making this country normal again – and she’s having fun along the way.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump campaign.

Virginia assisted suicide bill poses ‘deadly harm’ to ‘most vulnerable,’ bishops warn

Virginia assisted suicide bill poses ‘deadly harm’ to ‘most vulnerable,’ bishops warn

Catholic bishops in Virginia are raising the alarm about proposed legislation in the commonwealth that would legalize assisted suicide.  Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington and Bishop Barry Knestout of Richmond published a letter Monday urging Virginians to reach out to politicians and voice opposition to the state’s Senate Bill 280. “We are alarmed and deeply saddened by this development. Human life is sacred and must never be abandoned or discarded. At this critical moment, we implore the faithful across our two dioceses: Please contact your state Senator and Delegate. Urge them to reject assisted suicide legislation, using the alert provided by the Virginia Catholic Conference.” Senate Bill 280, known as the “Death with Dignity” bill, would allow “an adult diagnosed with a terminal condition to request an attending health care provider to prescribe a self-administered controlled substance for the purpose of ending the patient’s life in a humane and dignified manner.” CANADA HALTS ASSISTED SUICIDE PROGRAM FOR MENTALLY ILL DUE TO LACK OF DOCTORS The bill would require patients wishing to end their lives to verbally request the killing procedure twice and submit a written request with their signature and that of a witness. Senate Bill 280 has been moved to the Virginia state senate for a future vote. MINNESOTA CONSIDERS EXPANDING ASSISTED SUICIDE ACCESS, BUT CRITICS CALL IT ANYTHING BUT ‘COMPASSIONATE’ READ THE BISHOPS’ STATEMENT – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: “Every suicide is a tragedy. Assisted suicide facilitates tragedies and makes the most vulnerable even more vulnerable,” the bishops wrote in the letter. “Legalizing it would place the lives of people with disabilities, people with mental illnesses, the elderly, and those unable to afford healthcare – among others – at heightened risk of deadly harm.” Medically assisted suicide is currently legal in 10 states and the District of Columbia. It is currently legal in Maine, New Jersey, Hawaii, Colorado, New Mexico, California, Oregon, Washington, Montana and Vermont. “People facing the end of life are in great need, and must be accompanied with great care and attentiveness,” the bishops wrote. “To address each of their needs and alleviate their suffering, patients deserve high quality medical, palliative, and hospice care – not suicide drugs.” The Catholic Church is opposed to any procedure that prematurely ends a human life — from abortion to assisted suicide — outside very narrow exceptions.