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Lawmakers restore money initially cut from Gov. Kemp's budget

Crime lab, health programs among those cut

ATLANTA — Georgia lawmakers advanced a budget at odds with the one proposed by Gov. Brian Kemp, which was filled with unpopular cuts in programs. 

It’s been a contentious issue among Republican leaders, pushing legislative leaders to suspend the 2020 session of the General Assembly for nearly two weeks to deal with the budget. The session resumed Monday.

The state is cutting its budget because lawmakers passed a tax cut two years ago and the state treasury ran short.  

The GBI crime lab has become one of the touchstones in the dispute. 

Kemp proposed cutting $1.6 million – reducing positions for scientists and lab techs this year, while the crime lab struggled to eliminate a sizable case backlog that included 786 untested rape kits.

Many lawmakers said it was unacceptable. The House Appropriations Committee mostly agreed, passing a revised budget onto the full House Monday.

"It shouldn’t be a backlog anymore," said state Rep.James Beverly (D-Macon). "You cut this (crime lab) budget, I think you start running afoul of the truth when you start saying we’ll be able to do it with these budget cuts."

The GBI director, Vic Reynolds, had told committee members the GBI could outsource DNA testing for cases excluding murder and rape, saving operating revenue.

RELATED: Proposed Georgia Crime Lab cuts called 'devastating'

The House committee also restored many cuts proposed in substance abuse treatment programs, mental health programs and accountability courts – which are designed to reduce the state’s cost of incarcerating criminals.   

"If they went on to prison or went on through the criminal justice system, you’re looking at spending a dollar (on accountability courts), or spending seven dollars (on incarceration). That’s a pretty easy decision," said state Rep. Terry England (R-Auburn), the appropriations committee chairman.

RELATED: Kemp calls for new teacher raises in State of State

"You can’t cut behavioral health (programs) and realize that some of the crisis hot lines are not going to have people to man those lines," Beverly added.

England said lawmakers found alternative cuts to make up for the money they restored to the budget.  He said some of those cuts included staff reductions that have already taken place since Kemp proposed his budget.

This year’s budget will likely get a vote in the House Wednesday.  

RELATED: Georgia is losing money | How can the state replace falling tax revenues?

Next year’s budget – with more cuts – is still a work in progress.  And that’s the one in which Gov. Kemp proposes to include another round of teacher pay raises.

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