Senate Budget Seeks to Shield Health Departments, Troopers

A Georgia Senate committee wants more money for county health departments, state troopers and a runway extension in Macon. The Senate Appropriations Committee voted unanimously Monday to pass out its version of midyear budget cuts. As Gov. Brian Kemp proposed, it would cut $159 million in state spending in the budget year ending June 30. Lawmakers can't alter the $27.4 billion ceiling in state revenue Kemp set. But like House members before them, Senate budget writers want to shift money to fund different priorities. The changes are small considering Georgia will spend more than $27 billion in state money this year.