North Fulton Today

Lawmakers in Georgia recently approved a state budget that included increased spending for K-12 education, state universities, mental health and public safety, thanks in part to increased revenue for the state.

The budget, set to go in effect on July 1, seeks to spend $57.9 billion total, with $30.2 billion coming from state revenue, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.

"We know state employees will be happy with today's budget and the citizens will be very happy," Republican state Sen. Blake Tillery, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, told Fox 5 Atlanta.

The plan would see that state and university employees continue to get the $5,000 annual raise that began this month and would also convert the $2,000 bonuses K-12 teachers will be receiving this year into a raise, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.

The budget also included $73 million for the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. Pay raises for prosecutors and public defenders were also included, as well as $2,000 raises for prison guards. Nurses and other workers at mental hospitals would also be seeing a pay increase.

The Georgia Senate unanimously approved the House-Senate conference committee report, but the House has yet to discuss it, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.