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Senate subcommittee reviews amended FY2026 budget; $2,000 one‑time pay supplement and Medicaid, eligibility system investments stand out
Summary
Committee heard the House package’s amended FY2026 budget, including a $2,000 one‑time supplement for full‑time state employees, a House timing change to employer contributions to the State Health Benefit Plan, targeted Medicaid adjustments and additional funding proposed for the state’s integrated eligibility system and forensic behavioral health capacity.
An appropriations subcommittee met at the Georgia Capitol to review House changes to the amended FY2026 budget, focusing on statewide pay adjustments, Medicaid program changes and technology investments.
An unidentified presenter told the panel the amended budget includes a $21.5 million one‑time allocation that funds a $2,000 supplement for full‑time regular state employees. The House also moved the effective date for a reduced employer contribution rate to the State Health Benefit Plan to June 1, 2026, producing a modest reduction in employer contributions.
The presenter enumerated several targeted program changes. The House added one‑time funds for adult addictive‑disease hepatitis C screening, and $500,000 for a rate study aimed at addressing situations in which people with developmental disabilities remain in hospital emergency rooms while awaiting placement. On the forensic side, the presenter described growing demand for competency‑restoration services and recommended capital funding to expand inpatient capacity. The House included $27 million for design and engineering to begin development of a hospital facility on the Atlanta campus, while funding was also discussed for a 40‑bed jail‑based restoration facility in Augusta.
Agencies briefed the committee on Medicaid trends and adjustments that remain drivers of the budget. DCH staff said Medicaid totals in the base are roughly $5.5 billion in state funds and about $25 billion in total funds, with Medicaid benefits representing the bulk of expenditures. Officials noted modest adjustments in Part B and Part D drug spending projections and listed one‑time additions for rural colorectal screenings, dental clinic pass‑throughs and modest infrastructure items.
The subcommittee also discussed an additional technology commitment: the House recommended another $35 million to the Georgia Technology Authority for the integrated eligibility system (Georgia Gateway), bringing cumulative modernization funds to about $70 million across years. DCH staff said those funds are intended to reduce SNAP payment error rates and modernize eligibility processing.
No formal action or vote occurred in the hearing. Committee members asked for follow‑up details, interim scorecards on implementation and clarification on statutory language where the House’s wording suggested construction but agencies said the funds might support design and engineering.
The subcommittee adjourned after hearing agency presentations and public testimony on specific program requests.
