Georgia Legislative Watch

The House Appropriations Committee has passed the amended FY 2009 budget:

The House Appropriations Committee has approved an $18.9 billion budget that funnels hundreds of millions of dollars in federal stimulus money into Medicaid and education.

The amended budget for the current fiscal year passed by a voice vote Wednesday. It cuts more than $2 billion in state spending to fill a deficit. The federal stimulus money coming from Washington is helping blunt some of those cuts.

The budget restores $1.3 million to the state Department of Revenue to keep it from having to furlough auditors.

State lawmakers say that with tax revenues plummeting the state needs the auditors more than ever to make sure that Georgians are paying their fair share.

The AJC is also running a story about it.

It’s shaping up to be a very busy day for the House tomorrow.