Georgia Legislative Watch

The AJC reports that the House has unanimously passed a measure to protect HOPE book grants:

The House voted overwhelmingly Thursday for legislation that could help HOPE scholars keep their $300 book allowance, at least for now.

Under legislation that passed 159-0, lottery revenues would have to fall 8 percent below HOPE and pre-kindergarten costs before the state cut the allowance from $300 to $150.

Under current law, that would happen if lottery revenue fell $1 short of paying for HOPE and pre-kindergarten. Continued cuts in following years would also occur if revenues fell $1 or more short of expenses.

The House bill would eliminate book allowances completely if revenues fell to only 84 percent of the cost of HOPE and pre-kindergarten in the second year. Mandatory fee payments to HOPE students would be eliminated if, in the third year, revenues fell 25 percent short of funding HOPE AND pre-kindergarten.

State officials say expenses for the two programs may top lottery revenue to pay for them by next year. If that happens, students could lose part of their book allowance by the fall of 2011 under current state law.

House Appropriations Chairman Ben Harbin (R-Evans), said he sponsored the new legislation because there is no HOPE emergency. The lottery-funded programs have reserves of more than $960 million. That’s more than enough to fund both programs for an entire year without any additional money.

The Atlanta Business Chronicle is reporting that Georgia lottery will soon fail to fund the HOPE scholarship.