House budget writers in Georgia want to shift $100 million into the state employee health plan to reduce the sting of health insurance premium increases for public school districts.
The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday included that change as it voted to approve House Bill 18. It amends the state’s budget, which ends June 30. House members are likely to vote on the amended budget Thursday, which includes $2.4 billion in additional spending after Gov. Brian Kemp bumped up projected revenue.
The Republican governor’s $1 billion plan to give property tax rebates to homeowners would cost $100 million less than Kemp previously estimated, said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Matt Hatchett. The committee wants to shift that $100 million to stretch out to three years a 67% increase in health insurance premiums that districts would have to pay for nonteachers, instead of requiring districts to pay the entire $457 million in one year.
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