Back To School + Supporting Law Enforcement
Back To School
August 1st marks the beginning of the academic year for many school systems across the state. The Georgia House of Representatives passed several key bills during the 2024 Legislative Session to champion Georgia’s students, teachers, schools and families by bolstering our education funding and providing parents with the ability to pursue the educational options best suited to their children’s needs.
Thousands of students and teachers throughout Georgia will begin this school year with increased resources, funding and opportunities. From historic investments in Pre-K programs, early literacy initiatives and teacher pay raises to school safety funding and school choice vouchers—providing access to quality education for every Georgia student continues to be a top priority for the House.
Some highlights of education legislation passed during the 2024 Session include:
HB 353 - The Georgia Lottery for Education Act made adjustments to COAM regulations which provided an avenue for a $97 million increase in funding for the Georgia Pre-K Program.
HB 916 - The 2024-2025 budget fully funds Quality Basic Education, provides $2,500 teacher pay raises and allocates $45,000 annually to every public school for safety resources.
SB 233 - The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act provides eligible families with $6,500 school choice vouchers, providing families with the opportunity to choose the best educational options for their children and families.
SB 464 - The School Supplies for Teachers Program streamlined the early literacy testing process throughout the state by providing a free universal screener to every Georgia school system.
Supporting the Georgia State Patrol
On Thursday, I released a statement in support of our heroes serving in the Georgia State Patrol. These men and women put their lives on the line daily to protect their fellow Georgians and the communities they call home. We are proud of our work in the House to increase their salaries, and we’ll continue our efforts to support our law enforcement officers and their families every step of the way.
Trip to Tennessee with Georgia’s Future
This week, I traveled to Music City with Georgia’s Future as we continued our work to retain and expand our majority ahead of the November election. It was great to be with so many friends, folks from the music industry, and business executives as we discussed our initiatives in Georgia to maintain strong conservative leadership at every level of government.
I always enjoy the opportunity to catch up with my friend, Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton. We were able to spend time discussing the mutual success of our states and how we can continue working together as neighbors.
While we were in Nashville, I had the pleasure of touring the Galen College of Nursing’s Tennessee campus where they are making significant strides in training our future healthcare workforce. We’re incredibly excited to be welcoming the Galen College of Nursing to its first Georgia campus in Pooler, and we’re looking forward to the incredible impact its faculty, staff and students will have on addressing the nursing shortage throughout the state.
It’s always great to discuss the work we’re doing in the House to make Georgia the best place to live, work and raise a family—and I’m appreciative of the partners who support us in our mission. I hope everyone has a good weekend, and I look forward to talking with you soon.
My best,
Speaker Jon Burns