Georgia House budget boosts funding for Hurricane Helene relief

The hurricane relief includes $150 million for agricultural loans and timber cleanup, and $35.6 million to stabilize the finances of rural hospitals affected by the storm.

“This storm had a much larger impact than any other disaster in our history, causing generational loss and changing the landscape of our state,” Hatchett told committee members, who approved the budget unanimously.

In September, Helene cut a destructive path across Georgia, damaging more than 200,000 homes across the state and costing 34 Georgians their lives. The storm also cost the agricultural and timber industries an estimated $5.5 billion in losses.

Kemp and state lawmakers have made hurricane relief a top priority. In October, Kemp redirected $100 million to provide emergency relief to farmers and timber growers — part of the $615 million in hurricane-related spending in the governor’s proposed amended ’25 budget.

Rep. Mack Jackson, D-Sandersville, a member of the appropriations committee, praised the additional hurricane spending in the proposed budget.

“We need that relief,” said Jackson, whose district was hit hard by Helene. “That was one of the worst storms we’ve had in history.”

The House budget also includes nearly $334 million in new funding for the Department of Corrections — slightly less than Kemp’s proposed ’25 spending plan. It takes money from some areas and spends it on others.

One example: Kemp proposed spending $93.2 million to pay for four modular corrections units to house inmates during capital and security improvements to regular facilities. The House budget pays for only two modular units, saving $46.6 million.

Meanwhile, the House budget spends $3.3 million more than Kemp’s proposal on body cameras and Tasers and $2.3 million more to add correctional officer positions to improve staff-to-offender ratios.

The House also makes dozens of other tweaks to Kemp’s original budget proposal. For example, it adds $22.2 million to the Department of Human Services budget to move children in foster care out of hotels. And it cuts millions of dollars in payroll across various departments to account for the fact that many new hires can’t be brought on board for months.

If the House approves the amended ’25 budget Thursday as expected, the proposal goes to the Senate, which will put its own stamp on the spending plan. Negotiations between the two houses and Kemp’s office will produce a final plan in coming weeks.

Next week the House is expected to begin hearings on the state’s budget for the 2026 fiscal year, which begins in July.