State Rep. Josh Bonner outlines Georgia FY26 budget, highlights education, health and veteran measures

State Representative Josh Bonner updated the Peachtree City Council on the 2025 legislative session and the state fiscal 2026 budget, saying the state’s FY26 plan totals $37,760,000,000 in state funds and represents a 4.4% increase over the prior year.

Bonner said the budget’s primary revenue sources are individual income taxes (about 42%) and sales tax (about 25%), and that education receives the largest share of spending: "53% of the money that Georgia spends is on education," he said. He listed education allocations including $22,700,000 to improve K–5 reading outcomes, $26,000,000 for mental health supports, $109,000,000 for school security grants and $41,000,000 to the Promise Scholarship program.

The representative also described other large budget areas and bills passed this session. "The second largest portion of the budget coming in at 23% is health care," Bonner said, noting increases to Medicaid reimbursement rates and targeted lines such as $150,000 for a local foster-care supply program, and $2,000,000 to open a subacute care clinic at the Milledgeville Veterans Home. He said public safety received substantial funding, including $345,000,000 for the Department of Corrections for raises and capital repairs.

Bonner summarized several notable bills: an accelerated state income tax rate cut (from 5.39% to 5.19%), tort reform, a comprehensive school safety bill motivated by a school shooting, and a ban on cell phones in kindergarten through eighth-grade classrooms. He also cited legislation expanding tax exemptions for military retirement pay, a "right to try" measure for patients (the Hope for Georgia Patients Act), and a bill increasing the senior homestead exemption that he said was prompted by local advocacy: "Probably, I'd say, one of the most important bills for our community… House Bill 703… increased the senior homestead exemption from $30,000 to $60,000," Bonner said.

Why it matters: Bonner framed the session as a mix of constitutionally required budgeting and policy choices that affect local services, education and veteran supports. Council members asked specific local questions about special education teacher recruitment and election-primary registration proposals; Bonner said the state is focusing on special-education staffing and election integrity work but that mandatory party registration for primaries has not been a major debate at the statehouse.

Ending: Bonner offered to provide council members with more detailed budget breakdown slides and answered questions from council before departing. "I'll be happy to entertain any questions from the council and then I'll get out of the way for you," he said.