HR 51: Governor Brian P. Kemp; immediately release funds withheld through executive budget disregards issued against House Bill 974; urge

Governor Kemp signed House Bill 974, the state budget for fiscal year 2027, but at the same time withheld more than $344 million through 157 'executive budget disregards,' a practice separate from the line-item veto the Georgia Constitution specifically gives him. This resolution does not change any law; it is a formal statement from the House asking the Governor to release those withheld funds and let agencies spend the money as the legislature approved it. The resolution argues that only the General Assembly has constitutional power to appropriate money, that disregards let the Governor bypass the legislature's chance to override a veto, and that the cuts hit school transportation, Medicaid provider payments, domestic violence shelters, and other programs. It also asks the Attorney General for a legal opinion on whether disregards are constitutional, and asks House committees to draft future legislation limiting the Governor's power to withhold appropriated funds.

• Urges Governor Kemp to immediately release all funds withheld through executive budget disregards tied to House Bill 974 and let agencies spend the money as appropriated.
• States the House's position that appropriating public funds is exclusively a legislative power and that disregards are not a valid use of executive authority.
• Urges the Governor to use the constitutional line-item veto instead of disregards so the legislature can consider overriding specific cuts.
• Requests a formal legal opinion from the Attorney General on whether the Governor has constitutional authority to issue budget disregards.
• Asks the House Appropriations and Judiciary Committees to draft legislation setting statutory limits on the Governor's power to withhold appropriated funds.
• Directs the House Clerk to send copies of the resolution to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and several other officials and budget bodies.

Governor Kemp and the Office of Planning and Budget, state agencies that would receive the withheld funds, the Attorney General's office, House and Senate leadership and appropriations committees, and Georgians served by programs like school transportation, Medicaid providers, domestic violence shelters, and child welfare services.

Because this is a resolution rather than a law, it carries no binding force, but it signals a formal House objection to the Governor withholding budgeted money outside the veto process. If the Governor complies, agencies could spend on things like school safety equipment, Medicaid rate increases, and shelter funding that are currently on hold.

• The resolving clauses urge the Governor to immediately release funds withheld through disregards connected to House Bill 974, the FY2027 budget.
• The resolution affirms that appropriating public funds is an exclusively legislative power under the Georgia Constitution and that disregards are not constitutional.
• It urges the Governor to use the line-item veto instead of disregards so the legislature retains its override option.
• It recognizes House and Senate leaders, including Speaker Jon Burns and Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, for producing the appropriations act.
• It asks the Attorney General for a formal legal opinion on the constitutionality of executive budget disregards.
• It calls on House committees to draft legislation limiting gubernatorial authority to withhold appropriated funds outside the veto process.
• It directs the House Clerk to distribute copies of the resolution to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and budget-related offices.

1. 2026-06-23House First Readers (House)
2. 2026-06-22House Hopper (House)

• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)Primary sponsor
• Samuel Park (D, HD-107)
• Al Williams (D, HD-168)
• Spencer Frye (D, HD-122)
• Teddy Reese (D, HD-140)
• Karla Drenner (D, HD-085)

• state budget
• executive budget disregards
• line-item veto
• Georgia Constitution
• Governor Kemp